Cupid Makes A Mistake
by YuYuAnne
Summary: After an accident, Byakuya misses out on true love. Rukia, being the kind angel she is, helps him find the woman he's destined to be with. Can she do that without them falling in love with each other? ByaRuki/UlquRuki/AshiRuki. AU and OC. M for language
1. Target Missed?

**Hey there! This is essentially my second ByaRuki AU fic. I wanted to try out something new with some fluffy romance with my fave Bleach couple. For my readers of my vampire fic, I will continue that at some point. Just lost some motivation. But I hope you'll enjoy this one for now! X**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach **

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Target Missed?

_Out to lunch_

A small note was left on the desk. Rukia looked around Cupid's place. Everything in Heaven was mainly white. Pilliars, furniture, clothing and even the love birds flying around were all white. It was the symbol of purity and Holy Spirit. It was just as well it was Rukia's favourite colour. Her feet shuffled across the floor made up of clouds. She took a closer look.

_So Cupid really has gone out for lunch. That gives me an idea..._

She looked to her left, quickly to the right and then left again. The close was clear. No one was around. Her beaming violet eyes regarded curiously at the book sitting on Cupid's desk. This book was huge and had a brown leather covering. Her fingers stroked at the gold lettering. It was called the Love Manifest. Eager fingers flipped open the pages. A red ribbon marked a page with today's date and many names under it. Every day, Cupid would create a list of people matched with their true love and that day he would have to pair them off.

On the desk was also a red oak bow glistering with gold arrows next to it. Rukia couldn't help but pick one up at random to admire it. This arrow would pierce through two people who were destined to be together with reference to the list on the Love Manifest. Once shot through the heart, both people would fall in love with each other.

She looked around again to check but still there was no one to be seen. So she decided to have a go at firing an arrow herself. It had been a life-long dream to her.

_I mean, how hard can it be?_

The little angel spread her wings to fly over to the Eye which was a whole in the floor where you could see the real world. You could zoom in and out as you pleased to search for the lovers' you were looking for. Each person had an individual arrow with it's name on it. She paid attention to the name etched clearly on her arrow.

_Kuchiki Byakuya..._

_Such a lovely name. I'll never forget that. You'll be my first..._

Her eyes checked the Love Manifest to find his true love so she could shoot through both their hearts.

_Hisana... ah, there! I've found you both!_

Her arms stretched out ready to shoot the arrow once she found the couple through the Eye. She was slightly nervous and her heart raced. Her fingers trembled as she pulled her arrow along the bow ready to let go of it.

'RUKIA!'

Renji's scream just about managed to put her off her aim. She leaped up into the air as she let go of the bow and arrow. Both angels watched in horror as the arrow fired down to Earth missing its target and crash landed onto the street. It shattered into tiny pieces and crumbled away into angel dust. Whispers of wind carried it away making it impossible to piece together again. It was lost _forever_.

'AH! Rukia let go!'

A loud shriek echoed around them as Rukia grabbed Renji by his robes and started to shake him violently forwards and backwards whilst cursing him at the same time. She didn't care if she was going to shake him to death. She was fuming. God, she felt like killing him!

'BAKA! Look what you made me do!'

'It wasn't my fault!' Renji protested as he tried to peel Rukia's claws off him.

'You broke the arrow! Cupid's going to kill me when he finds out!'

'Just shoot him with another arrow. No one will notice if one arrow's missing!'

'Each person only has _one_ Cupid arrow, you BAKA! Now that his is broken it means he will never be able to find true love! Do you know what that means?' She tried her best to calm down by slowing her movements.

'Rukia?'

'It means he will have to spend the rest of his life on his own. He'll never be with the person he's destined with.' She gently let go of Renji's robes as the reality hit her.

'I've ruined this man's love life all because I was too selfish thinking I could play around. Cupid will banish me from Heaven for this. I'm sure of it.'

'Yeah, he sure is.'

Renji regretted his words the moment he saw Rukia's eyes filled with tears threatening to spill out. Her small lips wobbled.

_Oh God, she's going yo cry! Now you've done it, Renji!_

'I-I mean, he will be angry but if you can fix it before he notices then you'll be okay.'

'Huh? What do you mean?'

'Well you could... eh... You could go down to the real world and help this person find his true love.'

'Baka! I can't do that. You know it's forbidden for us angels to go into the real world. Cupid will punish me if he found out!'

'Well he'll punish you anyway if he found out you messed around with his arrows!'

Rukia bit her lip. She was in two minds as to what to do. It was possible that she would be in trouble whatever she did. But perhaps there was a chance that she could fix everything before Cupid even found out about her mistake. A small sigh escaped her lips.

Renji could tell his friend was rather troubled. Maybe this was partly his fault too. He placed a protective hand on her shoulder.

'Don't worry, Rukia. I'll help you.' He gave her a small smile to reassure her things were going to be alright.

'Fine. I'll fly down to the real world and help this Cheeky Byakuya, or whatever his name is, to play match-maker with him and Hisana.'

'The best way is to befriend him, get close to him and... Rukia what's wrong?'

Her big violet eyes were wide with fright as she looked down the Eye. There was a great distance between Heaven and the real world. The extreme height made her legs wiggle like jelly. She weren't sure whether her wings would be able to carry her all the way down there.

'God, I didn't notice we lived so high up in the sky.'

'Rukia, how did you get to Heaven when you're so afraid of heights?'

'I'm not afraid of heights!' she screamed. She was insulted.

'I'm not afraid of anything!' she huffed. She folded her arms and turned away from him for insulting her.

'Is that so?'

'Mmm,' she said as she nodded.

That was a big mistake. She soon regretted saying those words the moment Renji picked up her petite body. He did it with very little effort like he was just lifting a feather.

'Renji! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?' she screamed as he swung her forwards and backwards.

'Aiming for the target you missed!' His eyes danced as they tried to find Byakuya in the real world.

'Wha-'

Before she even muttered a word he sent her flying through the Eye. She fired down the sky like a missile. Her screams echoed all the way down. She was so scared she completely forgot that she had wings. It was so frightening she was about to wet herself.

* * *

It was quite a warm day for the end of summer. Birds where chirping and occasionally drinking from the fountain. Ducks and swans glided across the pond with their entire family. Sometimes people would even throw in pieces of bread to feed them and the koi. Early autumn winds began to creep in as it rustled around the tree leaves.

Somewhere hidden in the corner of the park was a little bench. It was quiet with no people there. Just the way Byakuya liked it. Everywhere he went he was followed by women pestering him; acting like some obsessive fan. It was troublesome. He just wanted to be alone. There was this book he had to read for English before the new term started. He barely had time to start it with all his admirers around. So it was perfect when he found this spot where he could read peacefully.

'_Mister Darcy, let me introduce you to Mrs Bennett, Miss Bennett, Miss Bennett, Miss Bennett, Miss Bennett and Miss Bennett.'_

'_Oh, for goodness sake! Are we to recceive every Bennett in the country?' _

A mild smile came from Byakuya. He wanted to read something by William Shakespeare or perhaps Arthur Miller. Instead he got stuck reading a romantic Jane Austen novel. He just didn't like all that romance but he was finding it to be a good read. A cool breeze suddenly hit him flicking away his pages quickly. Some noise headed his way and grew louder.

WHOOSH

Before he got the chance to look at what was heading at him he was tackled out of the bench with a weight squashed onto his chest. His novel went flying out of his hands and bounced onto the floor nearby.

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Rukia groaned in pain. However, it did somehow puzzle her that the ground was so soft. If felt like some sort of warm cushion.

'What in the world-'

Her eyes flew wide open as she heard a man's voice. Underneath her was a man lying on his back. She gasped with both hands clasping her mouth. Total shock was written on her entire face and it wasn't because she nearly squashed the man she was supposed to help but because this man was extremely handsome. He was so handsome it was heartbreaking. His long black hair was glossy with a long fringe parted to the side falling across his eyes. His eyes were a deep grey and piercing through her soul. His skin was smooth, spotless and came with a strong jaw line. This man looked like a model; the human form of _perfection_. And her cheeks turned bright red when she came to realise she was barely an inch away from his face. Their noses were almost touching. But she just couldn't take her eyes off him.

She could feel his chest and his hard abs. The warmth of his body seeped through his black shirt. To add to more embarrassment, she was actually straddling him. She was sitting on him. No, to be more accurate, she was sitting on his-

'Excuse me, miss, but can you remove your thighs from around my shoulders, please?'

Quickly, like at the speed of lightning, she tore herself away from him. She turned her back on him unable to make eye contact with him. Her entire face turned red. It was actually burning her cheeks. Her most private area was almost in his face!

_So help me God!_

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'What in the world-'

His eyes peeled open to finally see a girl dressed in an angelic white dress above him. The sun was in his eyes and all he could make out was a female shadow casting over him. The girl did gasp with shock. He knew that at he noticed a pair of white wings spread out from behind her.

_Is it Halloween already? My God, she's in my face!_

He suddenly realised she was sitting on him with her womanhood so close to his face almost in full view. He almost blushed at the intimate contact. _Almost..._

'Excuse me, miss, but can you remove your thighs from around my shoulders, please?'

His voice was cold and flat. Of course it was so unlike Kuchiki Byakuya to blush or show any emotion on his face at all. It was rather ordinary to see him keep his cold stoic exterior under all circumstances. It rather added to his appeal. The girl scrambled off him and refused to look at him.

'Gomenasai! Honto ni gomenasai!'

As he picked himself off from the floor and dusted his clothes from the dirt. When he caught her secretly looking at him she immediately adverted his eyes. There was a glimpse of her raven hair and violet eyes but he couldn't make out the rest of her features. Maybe she was pretty but to him, all women were the same. He turned to leave.

'Hey, chotto...' Byakuya ignored her and continued to walk away from her. He sighed inwardly.

_I bet she's just another fan girl... Will anyone see past my looks and money? Will anyone just love me for me...?_

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'Hey, chotto...'

Her words trailed off as he travelled further and further away from her. She found it really hard to believe that this man, no, this _handsome_ man had not yet found his true love. Her fingers went to collect the novel Byakuya left behind. On the first page there was a red stamp.

_Property of Seireitei High_

'Oh yeah!' she said in surprised joy. 'Cheeky Byakuya is a 17 year old student. I'll just go undercover as a student and then set him up Hisana. Haha, I'm so clever!' She began giggling herself.

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'No wonder why Renji had me cut my hair short,' Rukia grumbled.

Now she was standing outside the entrance to Seireitei High standing in a black blazer, white shirt fixed with a thick red neck tie and crisp black trousers. Her hair was cut short with her trademark long bang still swaying in the middle of her face. She hated the fact that she had to cut her long glossy hair. But that wasn't the worst part.

'Why didn't Renji tell me this was a boys' school?'

She sighed. How was she going to deal with being the only girl in an all boys' environment? What if someone saw through her pretending to be a boy? And she now had to share a room with a boy! This was only the beginning of her nightmare...

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**And that's it for this chapter. I think you can guess what's gonna happen lol My inspiration came from an old Chinese TV series (although I didn't like the ending) and OHSHC (hilarious animee!). Plus I wanted a bit more romance between ByaRuki and this story will let me play around with it more. **

**Anyways, I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think. All reviews welcomes. Ja x**


	2. Changing Situations

**Hey people, I'm finally here with an update. Many, many thanks to my reviewers: xdayanarax, YuzurihaNoRyuu, Darth-Taisha, vicky73, sphinx, L, Yuniee, CielDoll, YingYang890 and aihaibara777. Each review makes me truly happy! X**

**sphinx – Thank you for your review. Much appreciated x I've never heard of that comic but I checked it out as soon as I saw your review. I watched 4 episodes and I don't think it will be the same. I stopped watching it after that because I didn't want to be influenced by it. Hope you enjoy this story though x**

**L – Thank you for your compliment and your back-to-back reviews for my vampire fic! It really made my day. I couldn't stop smiling yesterday lol Love you! **

**This chapter goes out to xdayanarax, vicky73 and L. I think you know why xoxo**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach just this plot**

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To love is to receive a glimpse of _**Heaven**_** – Karen Sunde**

**Changing Situations**

In the city of Karakura, the SS group governed two high schools. Seireitei High was the all boys' school and Shino Academy as the all girls' school. Students at both schools were given all round education but more importantly they were taught magic, more commonly known as kido.

Rukia's screwed up her nose. She was frustrated. It was the day before the first day of the new term. Every student spent this day moving into their dorms and settling in. However, as the school was much like a large maze, Rukia spent a few hours weaving around in circles. She had to enrol at the school which took a few hours although she spent most of the time queuing.

Seireitei was impressive; much like a palace. It was built with the inspiration of the Houses of Parliament in London; England. The owner, at the time, had a love for Victorian artwork and it showed throughout the school. The architect placed several arches and high ceilings in the building. Big Renaissance paintings filled every ceiling. Edges and doorframes were painted gold. Doors and windows were large filling the school with as much natural light as possible making it seem even bigger. A thick red carpet flowed from room to room across a polished wooden floor. It was clean, bright and was covered with lavish paintings and chinaware. Outside was more spectacular. Seireitei was in the middle of a giant garden. Several statues, pillars and water fountains were dotted around generously. And they were all different designs crated by great Italian sculptors. Great detail also went into the foliage. There were many trees and over a thousand different species of flowers of different colours of the rainbow decorating the place. All were trimmed, watered and looked after with the greatest care.

After her enrolment, Rukia made her way to her new room. Just behind the school was a small collection of four buildings. The students rooms were split up into 4 courts; a court for each different year. All four courts were huddled next to each other to encourage student relations. She fiddled with her residential documents. All her student documents were faked by the little angel magic Renji possessed. He seemed to have done quite a good job.

_Seireitei High Third Year; Mozart Court; Room 3_

'Come on Rukia, if you don't want to sleep on the street then you better hurry up and find your damn room!' she scolded herself. 'Ah! There it is!'

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Rukia pushed her suitcase along the room and bounced on the first bed she saw. At first glance, the room was incredibly big. There was even a second floor. She wanted to check out the entire place but her feet were so sore from all the fussing around she just wanted to lie down.

'It would be absolute heaven if I could soak them in a hot bath,' she sighed as her body arched back onto the bed ready for a little snooze.

'Mmm,' a voice groaned. Rukia sprung up from the bed and noticed the little kink in the bed was moving.

'Who-Who's there?' she asked; slightly scared.

The bed covers flipped over to reveal a boy who was hiding away and half asleep. He had orange spiky hair. When he finally opened his eyes after rubbing the sleep away, she could see the amber coloured eyes he had. A gasp escaped from her and she instantly looked to the side when she noticed his lean naked chest.

'Ah, gomen, gomen, I didn't know this bed was already occupied.' The tips of her cheeks began to burn. Never had she seen a semi naked man before.

_Am I going to Hell for this?_

Kurosaki Ichigo opened his eyes fully to see a small boy standing in front of him. Well at least he thought he was a boy but the big violet eyes, cute face he was pulling and the soft features he had really did make him look like a girl. A devil-like smile spread across Ichigo's face as he opened up his bed covers more.

'Well, you could always join me if you like?' he purred. His grin grew wider when he saw Rukia's blush glow redder.

'Don't listen to Ichigo, you should sleep in _my_ bed,' Ashido suggested as he placed a hand over Rukia's shoulder.

Ashido and Ichigo were the Kurosaki twins famous for making mischief. They loved playing jokes and causing havoc. It was to distract them from the boring student life. Now, they have found a new toy to play with...

Rukia's eyes peeled wide at the sight of another semi naked man. He looked exactly the same as Ichigo all but his red spiky hair. Also, this man was rubbing her shoulder in a seductive way. Her whole body shivered. No man had ever touched her so intimately. She was a pure and innocent angel. She lost it when Ashido blew his hot breath into her ear.

'My bad! I must have got the wrong room!' she yelled and scurried over to the door.

The twins burst out laughing when she charged straight into Byakuya who was, at the same time walking into the room. Rukia bounced off back into the room and tumbled to the floor but Byakuya didn't seem to move an inch. If you looked at his emotionless exterior you could tell he didn't even care either.

'What are you all doing here?' Byakuya asked bluntly.

The twins ignored him and continued laughing their socks off. Rukia quickly got up from the floor and bowed towards Byakuya.

'Hello, my name is Orikasa Rukia, nice to meet you.'

'Why are you all here?' he asked again; totally ignoring Rukia.

'Oh that's cold, Kuchiki-san. But I guess that's what to expect from you, huh?'

'Don't make me repeat myself again,' Byakuya spoke with a little threatening tone.

'This is our room, of course,' Ashido deadpanned.

'You are mistaken. This is_ my_ room.' Byakuya was getting frustrated. Rukia checked over her papers once more.

'Mozart Court; Room 3, this is definitely my room too.' A small knock came from the other side of the door.

'Is everything alright?'

Each year had a prefect who kept their year organised and looked after his fellow class mates' wellbeing. Ulquiorra Schiffer, was the third years' prefect and wore his red prefect band over his left arm. It complimented well with his white polo shirt and white jeans. He was tall and incredibly slim which was probably why he was so pale all the time. His black hair that usually whispered outwards at the ends had grown past his shoulders over the summer. His long fringe flowed in-between his eyes and rested along his nose. It was somewhat similar to Rukia's bang. And his emerald green eyes widened at the wonderful sight of Rukia.

'Oh, you must be the new student, Orikasa-san. I'm Ulquiorra Schiffer, nice to meet you.'

His voice was smooth and calm as usual. He held out his hand and flashed her a small handsome smile.

'Call me Rukia. It's a pleasure to meet you,' she said as she gingerly took his hand.

'Indeed...' Ulquiorra purred.

He kept his eye contact fixed on her as he dipped his head down to plant a delicate kiss on her hand. It was such a soft; feather-like touch. A forward yet tender action. Rukia was beautiful and the little flush on her cheeks made her look so adorable. He just couldn't resist it.

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Rukia's heart rate quickened at the intimate contact. How could she have stayed calm? This man was gorgeous and extremely charming. There were two half naked men and a model looking guy towering over her. She even felt a little dizzy.

_For Heaven's sake, Rukia, what are you thinking? You're a __**boy**__, remember? Don't act like you're gay!_

She gave a weak smile and removed her hand from Ulquiorra as polite as she could. All the while she tried to avoid his eyes that were preying on her.

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Ulquiorra admired the shyness Rukia emitted. In fact, he found it rather appealing. Something was stirring up deep inside him.

'I'm yours...' He stopped to clear his throat.

'I'm your years' prefect. So, if you have any problems or questions you can tell me. I'm in Mozart; room 1 with the other 3 prefects. Of course, if you have any free time you can always come find me in my room and we can just _hang out_.'

Rukia's legs nearly turned into jelly when Ulquiorra winked at her. If she knew better she'd understand that '_hang out_' was a sub-text for something more dark. Then she was dragged away from her thoughts when Ashido pulled her slightly away from Ulquiorra.

'Rukia, I'd stay away from him, if I were you...'

'This homo has a string of lovers,' Ichigo quickly added. The twins were always great at finishing each others' sentences. Rukia's eyes widened.

_A homo? What a waste..._

'I thought he was a bisexual?' Ashido corrected.

'What's a bi... bisexual?' Rukia asked hesitantly. Somehow, she thought it was something rude.

'It means he fancies men _and_ women.'

'That's just greedy,' Rukia deadpanned which made Ulquiorra chuckle slightly.

'If you have quite finished, prefect-san, there seems to be an error.'

Byakuya glared at him clearly annoyed by the immature behaviour. He hated wasting time. He disliked it even more when _other people_ wasted his time. Ulquiorra was too busy gazing at Rukia.

'Huh? Gomen, Byakuya? I didn't hear you?'

Byakuya's eyebrows twitched. He didn't like repeating himself and he didn't like it when people addressed him in such an informal fashion. He was a prince but then at Seireitei, Ulquiorra out-ranked him as a prefect.

'I very clearly asked for an entire room to myself. Remove these three at once.' It was like an order but even a prince such as himself couldn't have his way all the time.

'Well I suppose Rukia could share my room.' A wicked smile crept over Ulquiorra's face. Rukia began to sweat nervously.

_This guy looks like he's going to eat me!_

'That won't be necessary.'

Everyone's attention turned towards the doorway. There stood a tall man looking quite displeased. His fringe was pushed backwards with the rest of his long ocean green hair reaching along his back. He had matching coloured eyes and a strong jaw line similar to Byakuya's. This school seemed to be full of handsome young men.

'Everyone's room have been allocated by the school pre-term and cannot be changed. There are no exceptions. Not even for you, Kuchiki Byakuya.'

This was Hyorinmaru, the principal's only son. Everyone feared him and dared not to cross him. He was year fours' prefect and the chief prefect. This meant that his word was the final say. No one could argue with him.

'At Seiteirtei, Byakuya, you are not a prince anymore. You are just another student. Remember that.'

Rukia was shocked. It was news to her that Byakuya was royalty. Still, she was beginning to find his rude behaviour a little annoying. It was like he didn't want to be anywhere near them or even share the same air as them. She watched him bare no reaction towards Hyonrinmaru and walked upstairs.

'Let's go,' Hyorinmaru ordered.

'Catch you later, Rukia,' Ulquiorra said and added another wink before he followed his room mate out of the room.

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She followed Byakuya up the stairs after she had enough of the twins' teasing. It was another big room with two more beds pushed along opposite sides of the walls. A tall window sat in the middle which looked across to a water fountain with angel statues around it. Under the window was a neat desk and chair for either student to study at. A neat looking wardrobe stood next to one of the beds and leaned alongside the wall too. Byakuya's clothes were already sitting at the bed next to the wardrobe at the far corner. Rukia had no choice but to take the other one. It wasn't that she minded but at least he could have asked which bed she wanted.

She pulled her suitcase onto her bed and unzipped it ready to unpack. She fished out the 'Pride and Prejudice' novel and offered it to Byakuya. He was too busy practicing his calligraphy writing to notice her.

'Cheeky-san, I think this belongs to you.' The disruption made him slip up on his writing.

_Cheeky-san?_

'_Kuchiki_,' he corrected her in his famous cold tone.

He looked at the book rather lazily. It didn't really appeal to him so he returned to his writing again. He weren't sure where or when he lost his novel but he just got another copy from the school's library.

'You dropped it in Hyde Park and I'm returning it to you.'

'You need not have troubled yourself.' Rukia frowned. 'I no longer require it.'

'Well what am I supposed to do? I don't have any use for it,'

Rukia puffed in frustration. He dipped his brush into the black ink and stroked away the excess ink along the edges of the pot.

'Perhaps no one told you we have to read the entire book ready for our English class.'

'English? But that's in 2 days? There must be 300 pages at least!' she screamed and clutched the book hard.

_First Renji puts me in a room with 4 boys and now forgets to tell me about homework! I'm going to rip off his wings when I see him!_

'368 pages to be exact,' he retorted.

'368 pages! How am I supposed to read 368 pages in 2 days?'

'Do you think I care?'

* * *

Rukia sat on her belly with her bare feet kicking up behind her; totally making herself feel at home on her new bed. Her fingers smoothed over a page; careful not to smear any of the chocolate she had been enjoying onto the novel.

'_But soon, his friend, Mr Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien and of his huge fortune. The gentleman pronounced to be a fine figure of a man. The ladies declared him to be most handsome until his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity. He was discovered to be proud, to be above his company and constantly looked displeased or bored or perhaps both.'_

She cocked an eyebrow and looked over to her right.

'Does it remind you of anyone, Cheeky-san?' she mocked; clearly hinting that she was describing him.

Byakuya was already tucked up in bed but she knew he was only pretending to be asleep. What boring person goes to sleep at 10pm? She was reading her novel out loud deliberately to annoy him. Although she had decided to help him but she truly found him arrogant and cold; even rude at times.

'Only 360 pages left to go, right?' he scoffed.

Rukia looked back to her book. She stifled a grumble after noticing she was indeed only on page 8.

_Mr Bloody-know-it-all!_

Suddenly, Byakuya rose up from his bed and stood upright. Gently, he began to unhook the buttons on his black shirt. It caught her attention after he unbuttoned most of them; flashing a glimpse of the silky smooth skin underneath.

'What are you doing?' she yelled and backed up into the corner of the wall.

'What does it look like I'm doing?' he deadpanned. 'I'm getting ready for bed.'

'Bu-But do you have to change _here_?'

She watched in terror as he pulled out his shirt which was previously tucked under his black trousers and undid the rest of the buttons. As he opened up his shirt, he revealed a tempting naked chest. It was smooth with strong abs rippling like marble.

Rukia's face burnt like fire but somehow she just couldn't look away. Her eyes shined at the marvelling display. Gently, he shrugged out of his shirt and tossed it onto his bed. His hands went to work on undoing his belt. Rukia gasped ash he slowly slid the strap through the hook. The heat to her cheeks was spreading all over her body and there were only 3 things she could think of.

_RUN! RUN! RUN!_

She ran, no, to be more accurate, she went screaming down the stairs and rushed out of the door. Her feet travelled all the way out to the angel fountain. Violently, she stuck her head under the refreshing water fountain to calm herself down. She was huffing and puffing. Or did Byakuya's beauty take her breath away? Did anyone know CPR because her heart was certainly beating too fast to be normal.

'This is too much! Can't these men keep their bloody clothes on?'

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And how would you react if Byakuya stripped in front of you? (dribbles) lol Did you expect those little twists I added? I hope you liked it. I quite liked Ashido and often wondered if he actually survived. I always thought he looked quite similar to Ichigo lol (OHSHC inspiration) Oh, and what would you say to a Hyori/Ruki pairing? Different huh...?

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. Let me know what you think. All reviews welcomed. Ja x**


	3. Pervert Alert

**Hey people, here's another update. Sincere thanks to my reviewers: rollmodel, vicky73, CielDoll, Yuniee, YingYang890, aihaibara777, A girl who goes here everyday, Darth-Taisha, L, 1SuperKawaii, sphinx, YuzurihaNoRyuu and Beijing Girl. Each and every one of them are incredibly important to me and make me very happy! This chapter goes out to you all x **

**aihaibara777- Yeah, OHSHC was definitely an inspiration for me =p I loved the twins and I'm really enjoying writing the Kurosaki twins in this story. Hope you do too! X**

**A girl who goes here everyday – Thank you so much for your review. Rukia is definitely one lucky lady!**

**L – ByaRuki rule! Lol**

**sphinx – I definitely agree Kaien and Ichigo look most alike. There are so many fics already out there that write them as brothers/cousins and I wanted to be a little different. Well, maybe I just used Ashido instead because I find him hot... lol I do want to experiment on the HyoriRuki pairing like I experimented with the UlquiRuki in a previous story... I'll see what I can do =) x**

**vicky73 – Thank you for your lovely messages! Sorry I didn't update the chapter the next day as requested. And I might need more time for the next chapter but I did make this chapter slightly longer for you =) x**

**This chapter goes out to all my reviewers. Love you all! x**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

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I can resist everything but temptation – Oscar Wilde

**Pervert Alert**

BE-BE-BE-BEEP! BE-BE-BE-BEEP! BE-BE-BE-BEEP! BE-BE-BE-BEEP! BE-BE-BE-BEEP! BE-BE-BE-BEEP!

The same noise went on and on for ages. It drilled throughout the room until Byakuya got fed up with the offensive sound. Rukia woke up with a huge white pillow thudding at her face. The sudden attack made her sit up immediately in a panic.

'I didn't mean to do it!' she shouted; still hazy from her sleep. She was still scared that Cupid would find her out.

'How can you not hear that alarm of yours?' Byakuya groaned from under his white bed sheets.

Rukia rubbed her eyes and peeled them open at her screaming alarm clock. She picked it up to turn it off. She had set it earlier than needed so she would have a whole hour to get ready for her first day. It would have given her the chance to finally take a bath. Each dorm had their own en suite bathroom on the ground floor at the back of the room. She didn't wash the previous night because she was too scared about the twins bombarding in as a joke. That would have been embarrassing to no end, not to mention the trouble she'd be in for pretending to be a boy.

She looked at the pillow and realised who must have thrown it. It seemed only to be fair if she returned it so she threw it hard making sure she hit him. It bounced from his head before falling onto the floor. To her surprise, he didn't move a muscle. It wasn't fair that she was awake and he was still peacefully asleep. So she crept over to his bed carefully. A few creaks escaped the wooden floor boards but still there was no reaction from Byakuya.

'Rise and shine!' she yelled as she pulled his covers from his face. She soon started giggling non-stop.

'Hmmm...' Byakuya groaned. He winced a little at the sudden ray of light disturbing his sleep.

'Your face...!' She couldn't finish her sentence since as she blasted fits of giggles. She just couldn't control her laughter. Byakuya took a dazed look at Rukia.

'My face? Look at your face,' he muttered and rolled over.

'What about my face?' She gave another light chuckle and a quick glance at the long mirror standing against the wall.

'My face is perfectly fi-'

She gasped. Someone had drawn a heavy beard with black ink on Rukia as she was sleeping. Immediately, she started to scrub it with her fingers.

'Shit! When did that happen? Oh, God it's not coming off! Cheeky-san, what should we do?' she panicked. Byakuya gave a small yawn and stretched out his arms before he sat up on his bed.

'_We_?' He stood up. '_I_ have no business in this.'

He spoke calmly but then he caught his reflection. Two huge red circles were fully etched on either side of Byakuya's cheeks. It actually looked like he was blushing. What a rare sight! His eyes widened thinking he looked like some sort of clown. Both him and Rukia were busy trying to rub off the ink but it didn't even smear.

'Permanent ink?' Byakuya asked himself.

* * *

A muffled sneer suddenly erupted into a loud fit of laughter from the ground floor. The twins were laughing so hard their stomachs were hurting and they had to hold onto each other's shoulders for support.

'We got them good, Ichigo!' Ahsido yelled; unable to contain his joy.

'Oi!' Rukia screamed from upstairs towards the twins. 'Did you two do this?'

The devil-like twins threw their heads back with more laughter. In the middle of the night where it was dead quiet; where it was too quiet; the twins decided to go upstairs in search for some fun. At first they thought it would be a great idea to draw on their new toy with permanent ink but since Byakuya was also sound asleep they doubled their fun.

The twins took another look at the thick beard on Rukia and the rosy cheeks on Byakuya with his stoic face and burst out laughing again. Although Byakuya tried to keep his cold demeanour, you could detect the hint of silent rage at the back of his eyes. Subtle, but it was definitely there.

'Let's go,' Ashido suggested to his brother.

'Hai,' Ichigo agreed. They were both already in their uniform and ready to leave the room for their new term.

'Oi! How do I get this off?' Rukia shouted as she bombarded down the stairs.

'You can't,' Ashido said with a grin.

'It's permanent ink. It'll only disappear after one week,' Ichigo added.

'ONE WEEK!' Rukia yelled.

'See you at the assembly!' Ashido sniggered as he and Ichigo disappeared out the door. Rukia's eyes stretched as wide as possible.

_Assembly?_

It was usual practice for each term to first start off with an assembly. There, gathered all students, even those from the Shino Academy; which was only situated down the street. But that wasn't that horrified Rukia the most. It was the fact that all of the teachers would also be there including, and most importantly, the Principal. How were Byakuya and Rukia going to show their hideous faces to the entire school!

_What did I do to deserve this?_

* * *

'Why must you follow me?' Byakuya's voice was deep yet cold at the same time.

Rukia had to quicken her footsteps to keep up with him. At being almost 6 feet tall, he was at least a foot taller than her. She had trouble at following his long strides.

'It's not my fault that we have to sit in class order!' she hissed back.

She cursed herself. Not only that she had no idea where everything was but she also had to share the same classes with the noble. So, she pretty much had to spend 24 hours a day with this man... much to her annoyance.

_Be careful that I don't murder you while you're asleep, Cheeky-san!_

They fast reached the hall to where all assemblies were held. It had the same main features of the school. The ceiling was high with a lovely arch at each entrance. Colourful paintings of gods and angels sat on the ceiling and a beautiful crystal chandelier cascaded down the centre of the room. Similar but smaller chandeliers dotted evenly along the sides of the hall. The beautiful sunlight shined through the huge cathedral windows that almost touched the ceiling to the ground. Endless rows of black chairs were laid across the polished wooden floor. Thick red curtains with gold feather detail hung down to hide a stage at the back of the hall.

There was a lot of chit-chat going on as all the male students began to fill the room to the left. Rukia sat down next to Byakuya who was trying his best to ignore her. She gasped when he sat down and his thigh stroked at hers.

'Morning, Rukia,' Ulquiorra said as he approached her. He flashed a warm smile for her. 'You look...' He noticed the beard on her.

'You look _different_,' he said and tried to stifle a chuckle.

'Don't ask, prefect-san.' She was praying that no teacher would notice.

'Call me by my name, please.' His smile grew wider when she nodded.

Another gasp escaped her when his thigh also touched hers when he sat down. Her heart thudded hard at the feel of both their warm legs touching hers. She was now in a sandwich between Byakuya and Ulquiorra with no room to escape. A little blush appeared at the tops of her cheeks.

_Dear God, why do you hate me? _

Then, for some reason, a lot more noise came from the boys as the girls of the Shino Academy made their way into the hall and sat to the right. A few wolf whistles were cast around the room and loud whispers began.

'Oh, my God! I swear their skirts have gotten shorter!'

'Momo-chan is the cutest!'

'Look at my Orihime, my darling princess! Her breasts are almost spilling out of that tight shirt!'

'I heard Lisa's gay. That's so hot!'

'I heard she and Soifon were fighting for Yoruichi's attention.'

'Is she gay too? That's a shame. I could show her a _good time_!'

'I already did!'

'Yeah, whatever!'

Rukia winced at the remarks flying around her.

'Why are these men acting like animals? Have these perverts never seen a girl before?' Rukia huffed in disgust.

'Oh, but Rukia,' he said as he carefully placed an arm over her. 'We're all _animals_,' he whispered and looked at her seductively right in the eye.

'There's a _beast_ inside all of us,' he purred. He never broke his burning gaze into her beautiful eyes.

She broke out in a nervous sweat and gulped. All her words were still trapped inside her throat. She was unable to speak. Her heartbeat pounded fast and loud like it was threatening to leap out of her body. Ulquiorra was having such an effect on her, one that she couldn't quite understand.

_Is it getting hot in here...?_

'Indeed, there are many predators out there pretending to be gentlemen, right, Prefect-san?' Byakuya asked in a flat tone. Was he hinting something?

'Is that make-up you're wearing, Byakuya?' Ulquiorra retorted; obviously referring to the red ink still on Byakuya's face.

The two men exchanged a mild glare but were interrupted by the noise of shrieking chairs. All the students began to stand up to great all the teachers entering the hall. Then an old man without any hair left made his way to front of the room and stood in the middle of the row of teachers. He had a long grey beard and moustache that nearly touched the floor. Even his grey eyebrows were incredibly long. Despite being at the old age of 82, Yamamoto-Genryusai Shigekuni was still very strong and healthy. He was the longest running principal of both schools of the SS group. He commanded the upmost respect from every teacher and student. He stood tall and wore traditional Japanese maroon and black silk robes depicting his wealth and importance.

'Please, be seated.' All the students did as they were told without hesitation.

'Welcome back, my beloved students, to a new term. As you may be already aware of, the SS Group is reaching its 100th birthday this year.' He pauses as everyone interrupts to give a massive applause.

'To celebrate this milestone,' he continued as the claps began to die down, 'I am honoured to announce that there will be a few special events this term which will include students from both Seireitei and Shino.'

A mob of students, mostly from the boys' side, cheered at the statement. The rest clapped to express their joy. There weren't many joint school events because the SS Group wanted the students to just focus on education. But because of the special occasion, the SS Group wanted to celebrate in style to promote the schools even more.

'In addition to our usual summer prom we will also hold a Christmas ball.'

CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP!

'We will also hold a play in this incredible hall of ours. All students will be able to sign up to take part in the production shortly.'

CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP!

'There is to be a magic contest where the ultimate prize will be a luxurious holiday to Rome; Italy.'

CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP!

'WOOHOO!'

'AMAZING!'

'DUDE!'

'AWESOME!'

'Other events are still to be decided. If any of you have any suggestions, please do not hesitate to put them forward to us. You are our first priority.'

'LONG LIVE SEIREITEI!' one student, Asano Keigo screamed as he stood up.

'LONG LIVE SEIREITEI!' all the students shouted.

'LONG LIVE SHINO!' Keigo shouted and the students repeated his words again.

'LONG LIVE PRINCIPAL YAMAMOTO!'

CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP! CLAP-CLAP-CLAP!

* * *

'Lastly, I would like to add that we proud to announce we have some new students and teachers this year,' the Principal continued.

Rukia ducked her head under her hand; trying her best to hide her face. Hopefully, no one would notice her look.

'Please offer your most sincere welcomes to them. Thank you and pray that you all enjoy this new term. Have a pleasant day!'

A greater round of applause exploded the entire room but Rukia remained hiding. Her eyes wandered around trying to avoid the teachers' radar. Something caught her attention and she couldn't help but gasp. It caught Ulquiorra's attention.

'Are you alright, Rukia?' In the ocean of students, Rukia managed to pick out a familiar face.

_I've found you!_

Ulquiorra followed Rukia's bewitched gaze which was fixed on a girl with dark brown hair. It was short and seemed a little messy. She had matching small brown eyes and pale skin. There wasn't must to describe about her. He stared hard at her.

_Quite a plain looking girl _

'Hisana...' Rukia whispered but loud enough for Ulquiorra to hear. And something unsettling wriggled inside him.

* * *

'Byakuya, Rukia, please remove that silly look on your faces at once,' Unohana Retsu ordered.

Her voice was soft and said with a sweet smile but you couldn't help but think a sense of rage was hidden deep within her. She was quite a famous professor. Her expertise was in potions, be that of medicine or poison. And her first lesson of the new term was with the third years.

'But sensei, it's permanent ink,' Rukia offered.

'I see.'

Professor Unohana went over to her large cabinet of ingredients. There many beakers and flasks of liquids and powders with all the different colours of the rainbow. She took a selection of various liquids and crushed the juices of a lemon into a test-tube. After she gave it a twirl she handed the test-tube and a handkerchief to Rukia.

'Here, this should take it off.'

'Rukia, I'll help you,' Ulquiorra suggested.

Every student had an individual desk with a secret compartment in each desk to store books and stationery. According the arranged seating plan, also with the help of Renji, Byakuya was to sit to Rukia's left and Ulquiorra sat to her right. And because Seireitei followed old tradition, the students always remained in the same class; same seats and it were the teachers who made their way to class rooms. So, that meant Rukia was stuck with this seating plan for a long, long time. She wasn't impressed.

'You will do no such thing. _You_, Ulquiorra, will do what everyone else is doing and read pages 133 to 156 textbook and do the exercises,' the professor instructed, much to his disappointment.

Carefully, Rukia tipped a little bit of the solution onto the napkin and stood in front of Byakuya. She waved to him.

'Come closer,' she requested.

* * *

Byakuya leaned in closer to her as she asked. To his surprise, her delicate fingers went to cup his strong chin and lifted his face towards her. The soft touch hers sent a little shiver through Byakuya. He could smell a slight scent of lavender but weren't entirely sure if it was coming from her. His eyes instantly fixed on hers; fixed on those big violet eyes with long eyelashes.

_Why do you seem so familiar?_

Rukia gazed back into his eyes. She didn't move but Byakuya saw something swim around in her eyes. He was curious as to what it was. He couldn't look away. He watched silently as her eyes went to focus on something lower.

* * *

Rukia surprised even herself when she dared to touch Byakuya so intimately. This man was so gorgeous it was beyond reasonable. She couldn't stop herself from gazing deep into his misty grey eyes. But she sensed something was off.

_This man, he seems rather sad. It's almost as if he's been lonely for all eternity... _

And for one shameful moment, her eyes travelled from Byakuya's handsome face to where his lips were.

* * *

A rush of shiny black shoes went marching down the hallway as Rukia escaped from the classroom. She excused herself to go to the washroom but in truth it was to escape the tense moment between her and Byakuya. She could feel the little blush she was showing.

_Why am I acting this way? He must think I'm a homo, BAKA! Maybe coming to the real world wasn't such a good i-_

Out from nowhere, a pair of hands snatched her entire body.

'Oi oi, where do you think you're going?' Ashido asked as he pointed to the door sign. 'This is the woman's toilets, Rukia.' Her eyes widened at her mistake.

'I-I was...' She struggled to come up with a plausible explanation. 'I just need to use the washroom.' She tried to change the subject instead.

'Naughty Rukia, were you trying to perve over our female teachers?' Ichigo asked with a wicked look as he waved his finger in false disappointment.

'Ooh, is our Rukia a little pervert?' Ashido asked with a matching wicked grin.

'Of course not!' Rukia protested.

'It's okay. Your secret's safe with me,' Ashido said and winked at Ichigo. They were definitely up to more mischief.

'No-No, you've got this wrong. I wasn't... Hey where are taking me?' The twins dragged her to the side and into the men's toilets.

'You said you wanted to go, right?'

'No-no! I don't need to anymore!' she screamed. 'No! LET GO OF ME!'

Her face was a look of absolute horror. It was surprisingly clean for a men's toilet. But then, it was only the first day of term! She closed her eyes immediately when she caught the sight of some boy already using a urinal.

'OH, MY GOD, PLEASE FORGIVE ME!' she yelled and held her hands tightly to cover her eyes.

She waved her hands about to wriggle free from the twins but their grip on her was strong. Together, they carried Rukia over to a free urinal.

'Let go of me!'

'I thought you said you needed the toilet?' Ichigo asked.

'Huh?' She opened her eyes in shock.

'Well go on then,' Ichigo encouraged.

'I-I can't! Notwhile you two are watching. Baka!'

'Why not? I really want to know if yours is bigger than mine,' Ashido said.

Rukia's eyes widened in shock especially when Ashido's eyes fixed on her pants. Her face burnt red all over.

_Did he just say what I think he said? He wants to see my...my...!_

She was unsure how but somehow she managed to escape their hold and ran into one of the cubicles and slammed the door behind her. Perhaps, by chance they actually let go of her? Both twins erupted with laughter.

'I didn't think he would literally shit himself!'

And the evil twins began laughing again. They laughed so hard they almost wet themselves.**

* * *

**

* * *

Ooh, how evil are the twins? Lol I just love writing their scenes =p

**I gave a hint in the assembly as to what may happen in later chapters as a teaser for you guys. Hope you will look forward to it. And when the Principal asked for suggestions, I meant that I am also open to any from you guys =) Anything to bring our hero and heroine together...**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this. Let me know what you think. All reviews welcomed. Ja x**


	4. Playing Around

**Hey people! Gomen, gomen for the late update. I had a lot on this week with an assessment and a debate to prepare for. First things first, many thanks to my readers and reviewers: 1SuperKawaii, Beijing Girl, YingYang890, A girl who goes here everyday, blissbeat, Vicky73, aihaibara777, L, YuzurihaNoRyuu, anne, CielDoll, sphinx. I cherish each and every one of them! x **

**A girl who goes here everyday – What would you say to a more perverted Ulquiorra...! lol**

**Vicky73 – Thank you, again, for your lovely message and your support! Mmm, I might borrow that shower idea of yours... lol (wicked grin!) **

**aihaibara777 – I haven't got quite that far yet so I'm open to suggestions. Always =) To be honest, I think I'm making this up as I go along lol Thank you for the sweet encouragement x**

**L – If you find the twins perverted, I dare to wonder what you might think of me since I'm writing about them lol **

**anne – You don't know how dangerously close you are... but I don't want to ruin the suprise =p In the mean time, hope you put up with this chapter x**

**sphinx – Thank you for your review. Hisana slightly resembles her true character. Her hair is the same length but her hair is brown. It is really dark almost like black. But Rukia is definitely raven black. I should have made it more clearer =p I didn't really want to make Rukia and Hisana look completely the same. I know 3 pairs of twins and can always tell which is which. There's always a subtle difference so I kind of used that approach here. I'll make it more clearer in future chapters x**

**I had to change the rating mainly for language really. And just to let you know, I've got another new ByaRuki story on my mind again. And it's NOT an AU! Lol But don't worry, I'm going to concentrate on this Cupid story... for now at least =p**

**This chapter goes out to all my reviewers. Love you all! x**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

**

* * *

**

**Playing Around**

It was lunch time where most of the students spent it in the great dining room but Rukia wanted to use this time to slip out of Seireitei for a while. A slight noise from behind caught her attention. Some rustling was coming from the bushes and she couldn't stop herself from investigating about it. Suddenly, she pushed back the branches to surprise whoever was spying on her.

'Who's there?'

To her surprise, no one was there but in fact there was a small light brown fluffy creature curled up in a ball. It was trembling and had it's eyes closed. Rukia carefully picked up the little rabbit in both hands.

'Aw, gomen, I didn't mean to scare you.'

Her fingers began to stroke the rabbit lovingly to comfort it. Slowly, the rabbit opened its black eyes and perked up. His little nose and whiskers kept twitching like it was sniffing Rukia. It was only a few weeks old and was abandoned because the owner got bored with it. Its ears stood up a little and kept moving its head trying to suss Rukia out. It was so adorable. She fell in love with it instantly and hugged it.

'I'll call you, Chappy,' she smiled at it. 'Let's take you home.'

'Rukia, I must stop you there.' Ulquiorra appeared from nowhere and placed a possessive hand over her shoulder. He looked slightly towards the Shino Academy.

_Were you looking for Hisana...?_

'Prefect-san!' she gasped and turned around to face him.

'Rukia,' he purred and backed her up against the wall.

'Pre-' Her words got torn away from her throat as he placed a finger up to her mouth.

'I thought I told you to call me by my name,' he purred in a low and smooth manner.

'Hai?' she asked.

'Rukia,' he leaned over to whisper in her ear, 'say my name.'

The hot breath sent a chill down her spine. A little lump formed in her throat. She swallowed hard to calm herself down.

'U-Ulquiorra... san,' she muttered quietly.

'Mmm, Rukia, I'd love to hear you moan my name over and over again,' he continued in her ear. She took a sharp intake of breath.

_Why is my heart pounding so fast?_

Ulquiorra's attraction towards Rukia was growing stronger. He watched how flustered Rukia was getting and how she was biting nervously at her lip.

_So, so cute_

His smooth long fingers went to stroke the rabbit's coat and brushed along Rukia's hand in the process. She got goose bumps all over from such sensual touch.

'Rukia, you do know that we're not allowed to keep animals in our dorms, right?'

'Eh...'

She was speechless. Her brain wasn't working properly at all and her body wasn't moving despite how much she wanted it to.

'But, I _can_ let you keep the rabbit...' He gave her a naughty grin. '...for a price.'

'B-But, I don't have any money,' she explained.

'I'm not asking for that.'

'Eh?' Ulquiorra leaned closer to her face and closed his eyes.

'Kiss me.'

Rukia gasped. How could someone be so upfront with that sort of thing? Plus, she never had kissed anyone or even been kissed by anyone. NEVER. That sort of thing was only for couples to do. But she hardly knew this man. She weren't even sure if she liked him. Many things had happened and she was experiencing so many different emotions in these past 2 days. It all confused her. And she didn't come down to the real world for romance. She was there to correct her mistake.

'Rukia...' he encouraged.

'Did you want to be late for sports class?' Byakuya interrupted.

'Cheeky-san! Wh-What are you doing here?' Byakuya twitched a little.

_I know you from somewhere... _

_And when I saw you act suspiciously..._

'I could ask you the same thing. You're not supposed to be outside school grounds during school hours,' Byakuya said; successfully changing the subject.

'Gomen...' she whispered sheepishly.

* * *

Rukia couldn't believe what was unfolding right in front of her eyes. Sure, she was looking forward to a good game of baseball, but no one told her that all the boys got changed in front of each other. All the boys in her class were there...stripping! There was so much naked flesh on show she thought she was going to die from embarrassment on the spot.

_Why me? Why is this happening to me?_

In order to cling to her innocence she decided to take her clothes and change in the toilets. Well, that was the plan before the Kurosaki twins trapped her in their hold.

'Yo, Rukia, where do you think you're going?' Ichigo asked.

'Aren't you going to change? Here, let me help you,' Ashido offered and went to untie Rukia's neck tie.

'Don't touch me, you pervert!' Rukia pushed his hands away from her.

'Huh? I just want to admire your naked physique. How does that me a pervert?' Ashido asked.

'BAKA! How does that NOT make you a pervert?' Rukia deadpanned and hugged her clothes close to her chest.

_Is this school full of homos?_

'Rukia, all us boys strip in front of each other. It's normal,' Ichigo explained and shrugged his shoulders.

'Coi, Rukia, don't be shy,' Ashido encouraged her.

'ONLY WHEN PIGS FLY!' she squealed and ran off to the toilets.

The twins both grinned at each other; totally amused by their toys' reaction. Byakuya shook his head to show his disapproval and reached for his sports kit. He neatly got into his top but it didn't feel right. Something was definitely wrong.

'KUROSAKI!' Rukia yelled as she marched back into the changing room.

'WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY TOP?'

Byakuya looked down his school sports shirt. Two circles were cut out in the chest area exposing Byakuya's nipples. He quickly turned round and covered himself with his hands before anyone had noticed. The twins had done the same to Rukia's top but she found out a little sooner.

'How could you... ARGH!' she screamed and covered her eyes with her clothes.

'Why the Hell aren't you two wearing any underwear!' she yelled.

_Such sin! I'll need to wash my eyes with bleach!_

It was true that neither of them were wearing any clothing. They were both completely naked and just stood there looking at Rukia in full view of their manhood like it was normal.

'We thought we'd take a shower before playtime,' Ichigo explained.

'You want to join us?' Ashido purred in her ear. Rukia gasped and clutched at her top.

'I think I'm going to...' Rukia trailed off.

'Rukia, are you ok?'

And she fainted on the floor. Too much naked flesh for one day. Perhaps...!

* * *

'_Elizabeth was soon in high spirits again. Soon, she resorted to playfulness again; she wanted Mr Darcy to remember for having ever fallen in love with her.'_

'Is it not possible for you to read in silence?' Byakuya complained.

He was clearly annoyed. Four hours. Rukia read the Jane Austen novel for four hours NON-STOP. Could it be that she was doing it on purpose? It irritated him so much he went to take a shower but she still had not stopped when he returned. But, of course, she couldn't stop. Their English class was first thing tomorrow. She had to read the whole book tonight.

'_When did your feelings for me begin?'_ Rukia continued. Byakuya sighed; almost giving up all hope.

_God, she reads so slowly. If I help read it to her I might just be able to get some sleep tonight...!_

Byakuya snatched the book from Rukia's tiny hands. He was thankful that she was actually on her last few pages.

'Oi, give that back!' she demanded.

'_When did I fall for you?'_ Byakuya paused to clear his throat. _'I cannot determine the hour of the day, or the location, or for what reason. It seems too long ago. It seems like I've been in love with you forever.'_

Rukia's eyes widened. Her face flushed hot at the beautiful words.

_It feels like I'm actually melting... _

_BAKA! He's not truly saying those words to you! He's just reading from the book!_

_But still..._

She stood closer towards him. The refreshing smell of him after a shower captured her attention. But then she paid more attention to the beautiful smooth topless torso of his. She closed her eyes and forced herself to concentrate and peered over to follow the story.

'_But then you found my beauty to be plain. My behaviour towards you was quite uncivil. I spoke to you with painful words..._' Rukia stopped reading aloud from the book. Was this the novel or was she just talking about her and Byakuya?

'_And what of you, my dear,'_ Byakuya mimicked his characters words in a low whisper_. 'At our first meeting, it seemed you never cared. You were grave and silent, and gave me no encouragement.'_

'_But I was embarrassed,'_ Rukia continued.

'_And so was I but you might have at least looked at me when you came.'_ Byakuya's grey eyes widened in horror for stopping at the wrong time.

'I mean...' Byakuya tried to shake off his flush_. 'You might have at least looked at me when you came to see me.'_

Rukia's entire face went red. But to her shock she saw a slight tint over the tips of Byakuya's cheeks. She didn't think it was ever possible but in all honesty it was rather cute.

_What the Hell? Why on Earth would I say he is __**cute**__? For Heaven's sake!_

Rukia shivered at the thought. The ever so cold and arrogant prince was NOT cute. She wouldn't let herself admit to it again. EVER.

'Er...' she hesitated. 'Maybe we should leave it there. I think I've done enough reading for one day!'

Rukia took the book off Byakuya and closed it. There must have been a maximum of 5 pages left. She would easily finish it in the morning before school.

* * *

'My dear, Rukia. Why do you have big panda-like circles around your eyes?' Ulquiorra asked as he sat down.

Rukia peeled open one eye. Their Engligh teacher was late so she was trying to snooze over her desk until they arrived.

'Oh, I,' Rukia paused to yawn. She stretched her arms a bit. 'I couldn't sleep all night.'

'But why does Byakuya also have black circles? What were you two doing? All night did you say? Could it be...!' Ulquiorra held one of Rukia's hand in his.

'Are you cheating on me, Rukia?'

'Prefect-san please!' Rukia hushed and removed her hand from him.

'Rukia snores in her sleep. LOUDLY,' Byakuya revealed.

'I DO NOT!' Rukia protested.

'Plus, Rukia is not my _type_,' Byakuya explained.

_Meaning, I'm not a homo!_

Both Byakuya and Rukia found it rather difficult to sleep last night. It could have been they were scared that the twins would pull a joke similar to the previous night. They wanted to be alert. In truth, they were thinking about their little reading session.

Rukia tossed and turned throughout the whole night. If she would admit it, she would know she was secretly smiling at those words Byakuya read to her, even though he was only pretending to be Mr Darcy. Some warm and fuzzy feeling inside kept her wide awake.

Byakuya, on the other hand, kept cursing himself for his last sentence from the book. He even blushed! How out of character for him! Kuchiki Byakuya never made mistakes. All his words and demeanours were graceful like the noble he was.

'Oi! Cheeky-san, what is that supposed to mean? I'm not g-'

'GOOD EVENING, CLASS!'

Matsumoto Rangiku was one of the old teachers of Seireitei, although she hated people reminding her of that. Her light orange locks waved over her shoulders and down her back. She wore her usual pink scarf over her yellow dress. The dress had a dangerously low cut showing off her incredibly large bosom. Her blue eyes looked quite heavy, but still captivating. Under her full lips on the right hand side was a small beauty spot. She was an utter temptress. Her wonderful voluptuous beauty was famous across the entire school. But there was a downside to such a fine figure...

'Trust Matsumoto to be drunk on the first day of school.'

'In the morning too!'

'Pray that she falls asleep or passes out in class like she normally does.'

All the whispered remarks floating around the class were true. Despite her gorgeous looks, Rangiku was extremely lazy. She hated paperwork and often swaps it for alcohol. She would get so drunk that her words didn't seem to make any sense or perhaps she just didn't see any sense. If it wasn't for her splendid talent, Seireitei would have kicked her out a very long time ago. While she tended to slack most of the time, she could be serious when needed to be.

'Oi, you noisy shits, are you not even going to greet your teacher?' she whined. 'Maybe if I squeeze my breasts together I'll attract your attention, huh?'

The boys' head snapped up to look at their teacher as she revealed more of her cleavage.

'GOOD MORNING, MATSU-SENSEI!' the whole class replied.

'Mmm,' Rangiku approved with a nod. 'That's more like it. Now, I hope all of you have got a copy of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. You will have to read chapter 1 to 10 by the next lesson.' Rukia raised an eyebrow.

'Gomen, sensei?' Rukia raised her hand and Rangiku leant to the side to see where the voice was coming from.

'Weren't we supposed to read the whole book for the first class?' Rukia asked but didn't see the little smile on Byakuya's face.

'Huh?' Rangiku walked over to her. 'I've never seen your face before. Ooh, you're cute!' She rubbed Rukia's face with both her hands.

'You look like a girl! And you're skin is sooooo smooth! What lotion do you use?' Rangiku said in delight.

'Matsu-sensei,' Ulquiorra gasped.

_Don't you dare try seduce my Rukia_

'Rukia's got a smoother chest too!' Ashido encouraged.

'Oh, yeah, like baby soft skin! Give that a rub!' Ichigo joined in to try to persuade Rangiku to strip Rukia's clothes.

Unfortunately for Rukia, the twins were also in her class. Ashido sat in front her and Ichigo was behind. A twin sandwich, huh?

'Sensei, my face is starting to hurt,' Rukia muttered.

'Ah, gomen, I just have a weakness for good looking young men!' Rangiku beamed.

'Sensei, I was told to read the whole book for today.'

'No, I never said that,' Rangiku said and pouted her luscious lips.

'But...' Then it clicked. 'Cheeky-san, you lied to me! You said I had to read the entire book by today.'

A little chuckle came from Byakuya to everyone's surprise. But Rukia was too angry to notice. According to all the students, Byakuya _never_ smiled and definitely did not laugh.

'No, I said you have to read the entire book _for_ English. I did not state a timeline. You just assumed it was 2 days through no fault of mine, Rukia.' Byakuya stated bluntly.

'You let me think it was 2 days! I read over 300 pages in one day!'

Byakuya smiled again. He only said it so that she would leave him alone and read in silence. Although he had to put up with her reading out loud it seemed quite fun to wind her up.

'Rukia? You're Orikasa Rukia?' Rangiku asked.

'Huh? H-Hai.'

'Oh how wonderful! Thank you for signing up! You know you're one of the first to sign up!' she expressed in great joy.

'I didn't sign up for any-'

'Everyone,' Rangiku addressed to the whole class, 'we will be holding a play based on Pride and Prejudice. There is a list of characters along the notice boards outside the teachers' office. All students can sign up for a chance to play their favourite character like Rukia has signed up to be Elizabeth, our main female leading role!'

'WHAT?' Rukia yelled. 'When did I-' She paused when she saw Ashido wink at her.

'YOU DIDN'T?'

'Oh, you bet I did!' Ashido answered before bursting out laughing with his brother. Even Byakuya had to chuckle.

'And Byakuya, you will definitely make a dashing Mr Darcy! I'm sure of it!' Rangiku continued.

'You two are the first to sign up. I'm so proud!'

Byakuya's smile dropped and the twins roared with laughter. Oh, of course it was too good to be true to think that the twins stopped playing their jokes. They had signed Byakuya and Rukia on the character lists in permanent ink to be sure it would not be removed. Now that everyone knew, they couldn't even go back on it. Byakuya glared at the twins who were rolling on the floor in fits of giggles.

_I'm going to cut you into a thousand pieces!_

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Ooh so you see the Jane Austen novel does play quite a big role in this, but don't worry if you haven't read it. I'll be gradually going through it with you in future chapters. Watch the recent film version if you have a chance. It's lovely =p I laughed so much when Byakuya said the wrong line lol I hope you liked their little 'moment' =)

**Hands up if you want more of naughty Kurosaki twins! Or maybe you like Ulquiorra talking dirty lol**

**I wonder if anyone noticed that I placed a little 'bleach' reference in this chapter? And a 'lemon' reference in the previous chapter? Random, I know =p **

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this. Let me know what you think. All reviews welcomed. Ja x**


	5. Art Class

**Hey everyone! I wasn't supposed to update today and concentrate on my work. But I couldn't ignore the lovely reviews I received. Many thanks to xdayanarax, Beijing Girl, YingYang890, Vicky73, blissbeat, L, aihaibara777, tokiko76, CielDoll, YuzurihaNoRyuu, A girl who goes here everyday/Someone I love, AA, silverqueen, WolfCoyote, seras3791, Yuniee and RukiaCHAN1 plus Archon1 for making me your fave author. I love you all!**

**Extra thanks to xdayanarax, YingYang890, Vicky73, Someone I love, tokiko76, and RukiaCHAN1 for your sweet messages! X**

**L - I think I've turned someone else into another pervert in this story... lol**

**aihaibara777 – All men are perverts lol I think I will have a lot of fun with this play =)**

**A girl who goes here everyday/Someone I love – Thanks for the idea with Ashido. Oh and I have a rough idea for a UlquiRuki but I think it will have to wait since I've still got 2 incomplete stories =p**

**AA – I like the play idea too. I'm still trying to figure out who should play the characters. Any ideas?**

**silverqueen – Thanks babes. Hope you love this update too x **

**seras3791 - This chapter's probably less funny but more romantic =)**

**This chapter goes out to all my reviewers. Love you all! x**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

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Art Class

Byakuya glared at the twins who were rolling on the floor in fits of giggles.

_I'm going to cut you into a thousand pieces!_

'Rukia can't play Elizabeth.' Rangiku turned round to look at Szayel.

'Oh?' she asked and cocked an eyebrow. 'And why is that?'

'Because he's a boy,' Szayel deadpanned.

'Actually, all characters are opened to male and female students,' Rangiku offered as she placed a finger to her lush lips and pouted.

'Well,' he paused to comb through his shoulder length pink hair with his long fingers, 'if anyone should take the leading roles it should be me and Prefect-san.'

Szayel Aporro Granz sat in his unusual uniform. He wore a similar uniform to the rest of the students but he wore a white shirt with long sleeves and a high neck. He even wore white gloves. There was no exposed flesh except for his face.

He flashed a huge smile to his prefect. His amber coloured eyes under his white-framed glasses dazzled at Ulquiorra. It was well known that Szayel had a crush on Ulquiorra. He was so open about it. And he was absolutely delighted to know he was to sit next to his dream man. But sadly, Ulquiorra paid very little interest to him and ignored his comment.

'Actually, I think Rukia would make a pretty looking Elizabeth than you,' Ashido said as his giggles died down a little and he sat up straight in his chair.

Rukia blushed a little and almost squealed. It didn't help either when she had managed to capture the attention of the entire class.

_Is he serious? Did he just say I'm pretty?_

'How dare you! I'm the most beautiful student in Seireitei High. Wouldn't you agree, Prefect-san?' Szayel demanded.

'Well, Rukia, does have more feminine features,' Ulquiorra said bluntly.

'No, Prefect-san, you can't say that!' Szayel clutched his hands over his chest. 'You're breaking my heart! I feel like dying! This is the final curtain for me!'

He fell out of his seat and collapsed onto the floor but no one moved to help him. The twins rolled their eyes.

'Drama queen,' they both muttered. Szayel was always quite theatrical possibly over the top at times.

'I heard that!' Szayel snapped his head up. 'It's called acting. I'd be perfect for the leading role.'

'Matsu-sensei, could you please remove my name from the character list?' Byakuya interrupted. 'I'm afraid I'm not a very good actor.'

_God forbid I end up being paired with Szayel in the play!_

'That's right, sensei,' Rukia offered. 'Mr Darcy's is handsome, cold, arrogant, rude and... Oh, wait a minute, that sounds exactly like you, Cheeky-san!'

'You think me handsome?' Byakuya questioned and Rukia instantly turned bright red.

_Oh, God, I did not just say that out loud!_

'Of course Rukia doesn't think you're handsome, right?' Ulquiorra asked with a tiny hint of worry or was it jealousy?

'Eh...' she trailed.

Rukia began to sweat. She didn't want to say Byakuya was handsome as that would make her seem like a homo. But then she didn't want to offend the prince since she was supposed to be befriending him.

'Sensei, do you think I could pull out of the play too? I mean I don't think I even look like a girl,' Rukia tried to change the subject and began laughing nervously.

_Baka! You ARE a freaking girl!_

'Nonsense!' Rangiku yelled. 'You'd fool everyone into thinking you're a girl with all your feminine features!' Rukia sweated more.

'Byakuya, you can't pull out either. You all have to audition for your roles later and we'll decide whether you'll be good enough for the part. Here,' Rangiku referred to the papers she produced in front of him and Rukia.'

'These are the scripts for you two to learn.' Rukia peered over.

'Why are both scripts the same?'

'You both will have to audition with each other since you two are the main leading roles. Do make sure you two practice together for the audition.' Rukia sighed.

'Could this day get any worse?' she muttered to herself.

Szayel pushed his glasses up along the bridge of his nose while he scowled at Rukia. He resented her even more when he noticed that Ulquiorra couldn't keep his eyes off her. A burning sensation was building up deep inside his belly.

* * *

At lunchtime, Byakuya liked to find a small quiet area where he could do some reading in peace. He preferred to be alone as no one really ever understood him. By the Angel Fountain, he sat in the glorious rays of sunshine and neatly chewed through his assorted sushi as he read the script for his audition. He did enjoy the Jane Austen novel as a whole but he did want to get involved with the play. Nobles were supposed to be refined and restrained. How was he supposed to keep his cold exterior in a play?

The sound of some shuffling caught his attention. He looked up to discover Rukia step hesitantly towards him. She stopped moving as soon as their eyes met. Her lips twitched like they were trying to find the right words.

'Cheeky-san...?' He raised an eyebrow.

_Does he deliberately pronounce my name incorrectly? _

_Don't tell me you really want to practice for the audition...? _

'I'm going to pull out of this play. I have nothing against you. I just don't want all the trouble,' he explained.

'Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something else...' She took a deep breath. 'I was wondering, do you think it would be best if you and I join forces.' Byakuya's eyes widened.

'I mean... the twins keep playing jokes on us both. So I thought if we work together we could protect each other and give the twins a taste of their own medicine? What do you think?' There was silence and Rukia took it as his disapproval.

'Eh... Gomen.' She laughed nervously. 'Of course it's a stupid idea. Forget I ever said that. I won't mention it a-'

'What kind of revenge were you thinking of?' Byakuya's voice laced with a little excitement. It may be worth it if it could stop the twins bothering him...

* * *

'Ichigo! Hurry up! Ashido yelled as he rushed into class.

'Wait up!' Ichigo demanded who quickly followed behind his older brother.

The entire class glued their eyes at the Kurosaki twins as soon as they entered the room. Ukitake, their art teacher, placed down his hot cup of jasmine tea onto the desk.

'Why, it's so great you could finally join us, boys.'

Ukitake's voice was soft and spoken with a warm smile. Despite being 20 minutes late for class, he was not mad at the twins at all. In fact, his good nature was quite famous throughout the Seireitei Academy. This was why he was respected and liked by all teachers and students.

'Gomen, Ukitake-sensei, we kind of overslept,' Ashido explained.

'I understand, but-'

Ukitake was interrupted mid-sentence again by one of his coughing fits. Ever since he was little he had been plagued with an illness which is why he often looked pale and fragile. When he was a teenager, he suffered a severe attack from his illness of which he very nearly died. Due to some miracle he managed to survive it but his long hair turned entirely white because of it. His eyebrows did survive and remained black. He was actually quite young and handsome despite his old looking hair.

'Gomen,' Ukitake continued after trying to clear his throat. 'As I was saying, I'm going to have to ask you two to remove your caps.' Both boys clutched the visor part of their baseball caps.

'Eh... Ukitake-sensei, could we perhaps keep our caps on just for today?' Ashido asked.

'I'm afraid it's the school rules. Don't worry, you can come to my office at the end of the day and I will return them to you.' Ukitake waved his fingers towards himself.

'Come on,' Ukitake encouraged them to take off their caps.

The brothers both glanced at each other awkwardly and sighed as if they gave up all hope. Slowly, they peeled off their caps only to reveal their bright pink hair underneath. Ukitake's dark green eyes widened. Not only were their hair pink, but they also had _afro_ hair. It was so big and frizzy it was like they had been in an explosion. The entire class burst out laughing and couldn't stop mocking them.

'OH MY GOD! THEY DYED THEIR HAIR!'

'HOW STUPID?'

'I THOUGHT IT WAS AGAINST THE SCHOOL RULES!'

'PINK?'

'PINK IS SUCH A GAY COLOUR!'

'YOU CAN SEE THAT AFRO FROM TOKYO! IT'S SO FREAKING HUGE!'

'Okay, that's enough, class,' hushed Ukitake. 'The rest of you get back to your calligraphy practice,' he ordered.

'Boys, what were you thinking? You'll be in a lot of trouble if the Principal finds out about this,' Ukitake commented.

'Sensei...'

'I'm afraid I'm going to have to give you two detention.'

'But it's not our fault! We woke up with our hair already like this.'

'It's true, sensei. We even tried desperately to wash the colour out which is why we were late for class. But still it didn't work...' Ichigo huffed.

'So did someone do this to you while you were asleep?' Ukitake raised an eyebrow. 'Who would do such a thing?'

'Who knows...!' the brothers hissed as they glared at Byakuya and Rukia.

The twins weren't impressed especially when Rukia winked at them. She found her evil streak and tried to hide her smile behind her sketch pad. Both her and Byakuya invented and snuck a special potion into the twins' shampoo bottle. Last night when the twins washed their hair, the potion began to work its magic and slowly changed their hair in their sleep. Of course, it wasn't permanent but it would last at least a week!

'You do realise they will only try pull an even bigger joke on us?' Byakuya asked.

'But you _do_ find it amusing getting our revenge on them, right, Cheeky-san?'

'Hn.'

Byakuya didn't want to admit it but there was a small smile on his face no matter how hard he tried to fight it. There was no doubt that it amused him. If he was truly honest with himself, all his room mates were making his school life a little more enjoyable. Despite believing that life in general was not supposed to be entertaining, he was beginning to feel a change within him. It was a warm emotion that he hadn't felt in a long time. He looked at Rukia briefly. He knew it all started from the day she appeared in his life.

'I think we've been had,' Ichigo whispered to his brother.

'Oh, it's not over... _yet_.'

* * *

Ashido tried his best to stop himself from laughing as he sneaked out of the bathroom. But just as he nearly successfully closed the door he sensed a tall shadow behind him. As he slowly turned round he found the prince glaring down at him.

'What do you think you are doing?' Byakuya demanded. Ashido let go of the door handle and stood up straight.

'Eh... nothing. I was just leaving.' Ashido went to walk past him.

'I do believe those clothes do not belong to you,' Byakuya stated flatly.

Ashido bit his lip in disappointment. Byakuya found out that he had stole Rukia's night clothes when she didn't notice. Then she would have had to walk out naked after her shower. But now he had to hand back her clothes to Byakuya who shook his head; clearly not impressed.

* * *

Byakuya pushed the door slightly wider and a cloud of hot steam flushed out. He could hear music coming from the shower radio which was probably why Rukia didn't hear him or Ashido walking into the bathroom.

He hooked her clothes onto the towel rail. Rukia began singing along to the music as she bathed which caught Byakuya's attention. And in that fateful moment he glanced towards the shower cubicle. His eyes widened in shock. There were water droplets and steam on the glass door but he could definitely make out a naked body. No, to be more accurate, he could see the naked body of a _woman!_ It was _Rukia's_ naked body!

_Rukia is a girl? _

His heart thumped hard and fast. It threatened to jump out of his throat. It was like he was experiencing some sort of fever. His mouth dried up and he began to sweat all over. God, he even had a slight blush on the tips of his cheeks as his blood rushed around his body.

_Why can't I breathe?_

* * *

Byakuya walked up the stairs but soon wanted to turn back when he saw Rukia sitting at the desk with her back towards him. He wanted to leave before she noticed him. Days had passed since the naked incident and he most of his time avoiding her as much as possible. Rukia was completely oblivious to it. She had no idea that Byakuya had discovered her sex at all.

He was still shocked from the discovery but he was also really uncertain. What was a girl like Rukia doing in an all boys' school? Should he reveal her to the Principal? But wouldn't she get into a lot of trouble if he did that? He didn't want anything bad to happen to her. To be truly honest, he actually enjoyed her company and she genuinely seemed like a good person. Should he ask her directly? But would she tell him the truth?

He was troubled with so many questions but it wasn't like he could ask anyone for advice. So he thought perhaps it was better to analyze the situation before he did anything drastic. But he was finding it a little difficult just being _near_ her...

The wooden floor boards creaked and gave away his presence. He cursed himself for not being careful enough and Rukia swung her head round.

'There you are, Cheeky-san! Didn't you promise that you'd help me with my calligraphy practice the other day? Ukitake-sensei said I had 'room for improvement,' she shared with him.

She was determined to improve on her art skills because she was certain she had the talent for it. Plus, it would help her build up a trust between her and Byakuya which would definitely help her match-making for sure.

'Unfortunately, I am somewhat pre-occupied with other matters.'

He may have spoke in his usual cold tone but he was uncomfortable. He never lied and most certainly didn't break promises.

'Like what?' she asked still holding her calligraphy brush in her hand.

'Perhaps you could find someone else to help you practice?' He didn't want to lie again so he just changed the subject.

'Like who? Everyone knows you're the best at calligraphy in the entire school. Aren't you the president of the Calligraphy Society? Who else can top that?'

She was determined and even resorted to high flattery. Byakuya sighed. He was very proud of his excellence in calligraphy and loved the art. And he gave his word...

'Very well.'

He walked over and stood behind her. He was quite disappointed. Despite her efforts and spending several hours each day practicing, her brushstrokes were quite ugly. He shook his head.

'First of all, that's an incorrect way to hold the brush.'

'Eh? But I see most of the other students hold it like this,' she explained.

Like many beginners, she made the common mistake in holding the brush like a pen. Byakuya picked up a pen to demonstrate how her fingers were supposed to be placed.

'Like this,' he offered. Rukia tried to copy his actions but failed miserably.

'I don't get it.'

'Here,' he said.

Byakuya abandoned his pen and made the mistake in covering her hand with his. His body froze. Something instantly shot though him the moment he touched her. It was so soft and small. It felt warm. Somehow it reminded him the very image that was forbidden; the image he couldn't get out of his head. He remembered the image from only a few nights ago. It was a small silhouette with smooth glowing skin. It glistened with water droplets all over her body like sweat. She was in a cloud of hot mist. Her faced was flushed and soaked; a little tempting even. She massaged her skin with a sponge and spread white soapy bubbles all over her flesh. Her body was at a slight angle but one of her small breasts was exposed. He also had a full view of her plumb bum. The image stirred an ache within Byakuya's body. He could feel himself blush again.

_Why can't I stop thinking about that night? _

His body; his heart just wouldn't calm down. He had never seen a naked woman before. So how else was a teenage boys' body supposed to react? This was actually the main reason why he was avoiding her. He felt guilty for seeing her naked body. He felt like a perve for thinking about it for these past few days constantly. What would she think of him if she found out? What was wrong with his brain? Why were these images haunting him non-stop?

'Cheeky-san, what's wrong? Why have you gone all stiff all of a sudden?'

_Stiff?_

He almost died of embarrassment.

'_This_,' he hesitated for a moment to swallow the lump in his throat. '_This_ is the proper way to hold it. Your fingers shouldn't be so close to the head.'

_What did you say?_

'I mean the head of the brush.' He didn't dare look at her.

_Why can't you form proper sentences anymore, Kuchiki Byakuya? _

'The way you hold the brush can greatly affect your writing style. In this position you can move the brush more freely,' he advised.

Bykuya stopped telling himself off and began to write a symbol. He hoped to distract himself from his sinister thoughts and that Rukia didn't pick up on what he said.

* * *

Rukia's face burned at the touch of Byakuya's hand on hers. It was big and protective but it was also making her feel _weird_. She weren't quite sure how to properly describe the feeling but it seemed like a nice feeling. She felt a tingling sensation from Byakuya being so close to her. The heat from his body and his refreshing natural scent was affecting her. In fact, it was making her seem a little dizzy. But something was a little off. He seemed quite nervous about something.

'Cheeky-san, what's wrong? Why have you gone all stiff all of a sudden?'

The colour on his face changed almost immediately. Could it be that he was blushing? But that had to be wrong. The cold prince couldn't feel emotions, right?

'This... _This_ is the proper way to hold it. Your fingers shouldn't be so close to the head.' Rukia raised an eyebrow.

_What does that mean?_

'I mean the head of the brush.' Rukia nodded.

_Oh, right..._

Then his hands applied a little pressure over hers as he picked it up with the brush and began writing. She blushed furiously at the slight squeeze of his long fingers coiled around her hands. And she just couldn't control how fast her heart was beating. That tingling sensation continued and grew. She had to bite her bottom lip to stop it from quivering. Her eyes weren't even paying attention to the calligraphy anymore. Things went a little blurry and she kind of spaced out relishing the weird feeling she was experiencing.

But her consciousness returned when Byakuya suddenly stopped writing. It came to a shock to both him and her when they noticed what was in front of them. On the mitsumata paper which was a special paper made from rice and wheat used for calligraphy was a singular kanji symbol. Although it wasn't completely finished, with a few brushstrokes missing, it was obvious what it was meant to be.

_Ai..._

_Love..._

Byakuya had spelt out the symbol for 'love'...

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Ooh, I love this last scene. I've had it in my head for ages. Do you think it was romantic enough? =p Oh, by the way, 'kangi' refer to the Chinese characters that are used in Japanese writing.

**Sorry to those who wanted more from the Kurosaki twins and Ulquiorra. I made this chapter focus more on the developing relationship between ByaRuki. But the twins did have a big role in bringing our fave couple together when they sought their 'revenge'.**

**My course starts next week so I might be a little late in updating... But then your reviews always encourage me to write more =p Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this. Let me know what you think. All reviews welcomed. Ja x**


	6. Physical Education

**Hey everyone! I am so, so sorry for the late update. I've been so laboured with so much work it's ridiculous. As it's Halloween, I thought I'd give you a treat and update today x**

**Thank you so much to all my reviewers: RukiaCHAN 1, magicalmarvolusMADDIE, YingYang890, xdayanarax, tokiko76, Darth-Taisha, Vicky73, Beijing Girl, L, ai-haibara777, seras3791, 1SuperKawaii, A girl who goes here everyday, silverqueen, YuzuihaNoRyuu, DRUON, Yuniee, keeleah and isara-love. They all motivated to write this as soon as possible x**

**I know I said I was going to change the rating to an M for language but I hesitated. Do let me know if I should change it after you've read this chapter and I'll correct it soon x**

**This chapter goes out to all my reviewers. Love you all! x**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

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Physical Education

'Where is it!' Renji asked himself.

He frantically flicked through the thick pages of the Love Manifest. His maroon-coloured eyebrows twisted into knots as his eyes danced around in confusion. Cupid had disappeared for a meeting and Renji used this time to sneak into his office. He had spent the last 20 minutes trying to locate Byakuya's entry but failed to do so. In fact, both Byakuya and Hisana's name didn't appear anywhere in the entire book. Strange, indeed.

'That's impossible! It was definitely there before!'

His fingers went to scratch hard at the side of his head. It was like someone had magically erased Byakuya's true love entry.

'What was there before?' a low voice echoed into the room.

'Cu-Cupid-sama!' Renji gasped.

Cupid; real name Aikawa Love was a laid-back god. His entire style was cool. He had a thick black spiky afro with matching spiky sideburns. Night or day, he would always were black mirrored-glasses. He didn't even like wearing traditional robes. Instead, he opted for a green jogging tracksuit. In fact, he didn't look much like a god. Those pictures of Cupid as a baby couldn't be more wrong to the real thing.

'Mmm?' Cupid cocked up a puzzled eyebrow. 'Is something the matter, Rukia?'

'Huh? _Rukia?_'

Then it hit Renji on the head. Of course, soon or later someone would notice that an angel was missing. So, in order to silence any rumours, Renji often used magic to turn himself into the same image of Rukia and pretend that she never left Heaven. For a slight second, Renji forgot that he was still in Rukia's body.

'Oh, hai... I mean, no, no there's nothing wrong!'

He began to sweat. Did he copy Rukia's facial features correctly? Did he copy her voice correctly? How big were her breasts? How do you walk like a lady!

_God help me! Will he see right through me! Run for it before he discovers the truth!_

'If you will excuse me, Cupid-sama, I have many tasks yet to do.'

And in a flash, Renji dashed right out of the room. Cupid just shook his head and gave a slight chuckle to himself.

* * *

'Cheeky-san!'

He ignored it once.

'Cheeky-san!'

He ignored it twice.

'Wait, Chee...' Rukia's voiced trailed off.

Byakuya continued to walk down the hallway fast in his long strides and disappeared behind a corner. Yes, he was avoiding her. He couldn't explain it in words but he knew something was wrong with him. He felt more and more _awkward_ around her. It was like his body was aching in her presence but he couldn't help it. He didn't know why he felt that way or what it meant. Thank god the weekend was over and he had classes to distract him. But then how could he forget about...

_Cheeky-san, what's wrong? Why have you gone all stiff all of a sudden?_

_Your fingers shouldn't be so close to the head_

_Ai..._

_Love..._

He cringed at the thought of the calligraphy session. It was totally out of character for him. He lost his usual calm self and it puzzled him so much.

_I was acting like a... like a homo...!_

_Wait a moment. She's a girl... How does that make me a homo...!_

_But she doesn't know I know she's a girl... so that means...?_

He sighed. It was all so confusing. It was making his head hurt. He had only met her a week ago but already so much had happened.

_Why is she affecting me so badly?_

_Why-_

His thoughts were interrupted by a few quick taps on his back. A little surprise hit him when he saw it was Ichigo. Byakuya could have sworn he had a little smirk on the edge of his lips. What was it now...?

* * *

Something was wrong today. Rukia was certain of it. People were all acting so strange towards her. First, Byakuya seemed to be avoiding her the entire day. All she wanted to was to return the pen he leant her in class but he raced out of her sight like a man on fire. Then, Ashido came running up to her apologizing for his and his brother's rude behaviour over the past week. He even gave her a chocolate bar to prove his truce. He sounded sincere so she accepted the chocolate bar and his apology. Later, students giggled at her or made a funny comment whenever they walked past her. She lifted her armpit towards her nose.

_Do I smell or something?_

'Rukia.'

Such a smooth a calm voice from behind only belonged to one person. Ulquiorra placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

'Prefect-san?' she asked as she turned around to face him.

'Do you realise you have something on your back?'

'Hai? Oh, God, it's not a spider is it!'

He peeled a sheet of white paper off her petite form and showed her the article. Big and bold words were inked on it.

_I love blowjobs!_

She frowned. Ashido must have stuck it on her when he tapped her to get her attention.

'What's a blowjob?' Rukia asked in her angelic tone.

A sinister twinkle appeared in Ulquiorra's green eyes. His feet moved slowly across the black marble floor tiles. He smirked in a wicked manner.

'Do you _really_ want to know?' he purred.

'I...' she stuttered.

A feeling of regret overwhelmed her. She began to sweat with nerves the more Ulquiorra edged close to her. She backed away from him until her back hit the mountain of grey lockers. Soon, she realised her mistake in asking.

BRING!

The loud school bell rang for 15 seconds signalling the end of lunch. Students had about a minute to get to their next class.

'I... Prefect-san, we have sports class,' she offered sheepishly.

'Perhaps I could teach you a thing or two about_ physical_ education myself.' Rukia's heart began pumping fast.

_He wants to get physical? Is it me or is it getting hot in here!_

'You see, a blowjob is...' He paused to perch his hands onto the lockers behind her like he was trapping her; blocking off all her exits.

'It's one of man's ultimate...' he leant into her ear. '..._pleasure_,' he whispered.

A shiver sneaked through her ear making her entire body tremble. She was actually a little scared. She wasn't sure why. He brought his face incredibly near to hers which left very little gap between them. He smudged his finger over the corner of her mouth where a small trace of chocolate was leftover. His deep emerald eyes focused on her; making sure he had her full attention.

'You give gentle licks...'

He swiped the tip of his tongue over the chocolate on his index finger.

'Wrap your lips around it and...'

Ulquiorra pushed his long pale finger into his mouth and sucked. He pushed it in and out of his mouth a few times in slow motion. All the while he kept his eye contact with Rukia.

Rukia's little cheeks burnt with embarrassment. She was rather hot under the collar. It took incredible control from her to not gasp at the sight. She gulped to calm herself down. The lump in her throat wouldn't disappear so she swallowed harder.

_However awkward this may be, I can't seem to look away from him..._

Finally, he slid his finger out of his mouth. He licked his lips to savour the flavour.

'Mmm, tastes good,' he hummed.

Rukia bit her lip. She felt so weird. Her heart pounded so fast like it wanted to leap out of her mouth. Her throat dried up and her voice wilted away. All words were lost.

'Or would you like me to give you an actual demonstration?' he purred with a wicked grin.

She almost choked on her own breath. Something was telling her he was making an indecent offering to her!

'Do you not have a class to get to?'

'Cheeky-san!' Rukia gasped.

Half relieved; the other half of her was still panicking. She blinked rapidly. Never was she more glad to see Byakuya. It was perfect timing. Quickly, she took the opportunity to duck under Ulquiorra's arms and ran away to her lesson without looking back.

* * *

Byakuya marched through the white corridors of the school. Despite his cold pale demeanour his mind was filled with murderous intent. His aim was Kurosaki Ichigo. Well, it wouldn't have minded if he found Ashido instead. They were both getting under his skin. It would probably be best to kill them both. At the beginning of lunch, Ichigo had approached him with an apology for all the trouble he and his twin had caused. Byakuya had a feeling that it was too good to be true and indeed it was. He had been wandering around the school with an offensive message. He only realised it until Retsu cursed him and gave him detention for it. Needless to say that Byakuya was not happy. Not happy at all.

He jerked to a stop the moment he caught sight of Ulquiorra leaning over Rukia. He was dangerously close to her. For some reason he could not explain, he felt slightly uncomfortable. The feeling got worse when he saw Ulquiorra sucking on his own finger.

_Is he trying to seduce her? Again!_

Ulquiorra muttered something to her. Byakuya took a few more steps closer so he could hear more clearly.

'Or would you like me to give you an actual demonstration?' he purred with a wicked grin.

Byakuya had no idea what he was talking about but it was obvious that Rukia felt very awkward in Ulquiorra's company and Byakuya just couldn't stop himself from helping her. Or to be more appropriate, he was _rescuing_ her from a predator.

'Do you not have a class to get to?'

'Cheeky-san!'

Calmly, he watched Rukia flee away from danger at the first opportunit; no longer a slave held captive from her predator. As soon as Rukia disappeared around the corner out of harm's way his concentration focussed back onto Ulquiorra. He was starting to really annoy him. Or rather they both seemed to find each other annoying.

_I have no idea why I even care but..._

'Know your place, Prefect-san.' The pair tried to intimidate one another with their cold hard stares.

_I'm sure I don't care about her but..._

'If anything is out of place or if anyone abuses their powers I will not hesitate to report it to the Principal... even if it concerns you, Prefect-san.'

* * *

'Get your hands off me! I won't do it!' she insisted.

'Oh, come on, Rukia. Everyone showers after sports class,' Ichigo said.

Ashido tugged at Rukia's right arm and Ichigo was gripping onto her left. The twins were already naked with just a mere white towel wrapped around their waist covering their _modesty_. Both tried dragging her off into the showers where all the other students were showering. A look of pure fear covered Rukia's face. It almost looked white.

'No! Please! I don't like showering in front of other people!' she offered. That was the best excuse she could come up with.

'Rukia, don't worry. No one will be looking at your body. We're just here to bathe,' the other twin deadpanned.

_Oh, I don't think that will be the case when you see that I have boobs!_

Rukia was well aware that many girls from the Shino Academy would give everything to be in her position right now; with both twin brothers naked asking her to shower with them. She didn't understand why and neither did she share that interest. Why did men shower and undress so openly in front of other men anyway? You don't see girls doing the same with other girls!

'You do realise I still have my sports clothes on, right?' she spat out her sarcasm.

'No problem, we'll just undress you inside,' Ashido offered as he tugged her closer to the shower cubicles.

Rukia was mortified as they fast approached the room. Her struggles failed to make a difference since the twins were much more stronger than her. There was the endless sound of the water sprouting out of the shower heads. Steam fumed out all the way into the changing room. She could feel the hot air on the tips of her cheeks. Or maybe it was the red blush she wore. She was doomed. She was sure to be revealed as a woman...

'Rukia does not have to shower if she does not wish it.'

'Oh, great, here comes our prince...'

'It's officially not fun anymore,' Ashido sighed and the twins let go of her.

'I bet his one's well tiny...' The Kurosaki twins disappeared into the shower without their toy.

Her eyes widened at the thought of being saved by Byakuya twice in one day! He was actually being _nice_ to her. He must be sick or something. Why else should he act so strange? Byakuya turned his back on her ready to depart.

'Arigatou, Cheeky-san,' she whispered with a bow.

'It's best if you kept your clothes on. We don't want you scaring anyone else.'

_Anyone else...?_

'What's that supposed to mean? Do you think I look shocking!' she yelled but he was already walking away from her.

_You have no idea..._

* * *

Ulquiorra perched his long lean body against the cold white wall. His dark lips curled into a dry smile. He was watching Byakuya pack his clothes away into his sports bag. The room was pretty much empty. Most of the students had already left for their next lesson.

'Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy. It is the green-eyed monster with doth mock.'

'Are you referring yourself as a monster?' Byakuya asked but with his attention still focussed on tidying up. Ulquiorra's eyes glowed slightly in the shadows.

'Judging by what you said to me earlier, I would suggest that you were jealous of me and Rukia.'

'Then you thought wrong.'

'And judging by that mini shower episode of with the twins, you were being protective.'

'Is that so?'

'I do believe that you have fallen for Rukia.' Ulquiorra wasn't sure whether he was asking or if it was just a statement.

Byakuya immediately stopped his actions; eyes wide open. His sports t-shirt slipped out of his hand and collapsed onto the floor. His eyes widened with shock and his body froze. A rush of panic swept over him. Even his heart missed a beat. He snapped back and glared at Ulquiorra. They shared a look of silence.

_Why am I not denying it!_

His brain was urgently telling him to deny it but his mouth turned dry and just wouldn't move. The rapid pounding of his heart and his irregular breathing sent his mind elsewhere. He couldn't find the right words. To be honest, the delay in his answer said it all.

_Where's my voice disappeared to...?_

'Prefect-san, you of all people should not being making false accusations,' Byakuya finally answered. Ulquiorra cocked his head to the side.

_You didn't deny it, did you...? _

'I sincerely hope it's false. I'll give you some advice: Keep your hands off other people's _property_,' Ulquiorra suggested.

_Rukia's mine... _

'I don't see anything _marked_ as _yours_,' Byakuya corrected.

'Not _yet_...'

* * *

'Cheeky-san, what are you doing?'

'Have a guess.'

He was on his bed with the daily newspaper enveloped in front of him. For the past ten minutes he had been trying to read today's headlines. Yes, he was _trying_ but failing miserably.

It was coming up to ten o'clock at night but for some strange reason Rukia decided to eat ice-cream... in front of him. Her little hands gripped at the cone. Her plump lips parted as her tongue licked at the huge ball of vanilla ice-cream. Traces of the milky substance covered the tops of lips. And the noise she made...

It was all too _distracting_ for Byakuya. He tried so hard to read his paper but the words blurred out; begging not to be read. Instead, he would steal glances at her now and then. It felt wrong even though it was such a natural thing. He let out a deep sigh, leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. He took long deep breaths to steady himself. He tried to ignore it and focus on something else. Why wouldn't his brain just function properly around her!

_What's wrong with me!_

'Cheeky-san, is this a blowjob?'

His eyes flew open. To say he was shocked was an understatement. He was horrified. Why on Earth was she suddenly asking about _that_! There was no way he could find the words to answer. In fact, he hoped that he heard wrong; that his mind was playing tricks on him. Maybe he had finally lost his mind?

'Prefect-san was teaching me about it but I still don't understand.'

_He did what! How does she not know what Ulquiorra is trying to do to her! How can she be so clueless! _

'Rukia, have you been going around the whole school asking people what that means?' Byakuya worried.

'No, it's just that Ashido stuck a piece of paper on my back saying I like blowjobs.' Byakuya twitched.

_Could you stop saying __**that**__ word while licking on your ice-cream!_

'Rukia, it's a _dirty_ word. Someone like you...'

As a girl...

'...Rukia, shouldn't be using that word.' Abruptly, she stopped eating and looked up.

'It's a dirty word?' She could feel the heat of embarrassment creeping all over her face.

'Kurosaki Ichigo stuck one on me too.'

'What did yours say?'

Rukia immediately forgot about her embarrassment and leaned forward; eager to know about his. Now it was his turn to look uncomfortable again. He used his newspaper to hide his face. It was a clear sign that the conversation was over. However, she didn't see it that way.

'Tell me! I told you mine,' she pushed.

_How can I tell you I had 'sex machine' labelled on me for a whole hour!_

'You know you're dripping all over the place...' Byakuya cursed himself.

'I mean... You're ice-cream's melting.'

Rukia looked down and rushed to swipe her tongue along the cone to stop the ice-cream dripping onto her clothes. Byakuya cursed himself again for his secret glances towards her.

_False accusation, huh? _

**

* * *

**

Byakuya as a sex machine... who's up for that! Lol I hoped you like more mischief from Ulquiorra and the twins. Did it make you squeal? =p

**I borrowed the bit about the green-eyed monster from Shakespeare's Othello. I liked how it also reflected the predator lust Ulquiorra has for Rukia =p**

**The next two weeks are definitely going to be really busy for me including a trip to Scotland in between. So I'll warn you now I'm going to be late in updating again. But do let me know what you think. All reviews welcomed. They really spur me on to write more. Ja x**


	7. Carrot Soup

**Hey everyone! Gomen, gomen for the late update. I had to finish 2 assessments this week! But now that's over and I have 4 days off! Woohoo! I have changed this story to an M-rate mainly for language. You'll understand when you read it... =p**

**Thank you to all my reviewers: xdayanarax, Vicky73, airi-07, silverqueen, MeoSua, Gaamatsu96, Yuniee, tokiko76, YingYang890, L, RukiaCHAN1, ai-haibara777, seras3791, isara-love, DRUON, sunlightangels, YuzurihaNoRyuu, blackbubbledancer and SunRises. You all really motivated me and so did all your PMs! X**

**silverqueen: Thank you for your lovely comment! This story even makes me laugh sometimes =p Hopefully, you like this chapter too! x**

**L: Thank you! Lol I made this an M-rate in the end because... Well, you'll soon find out =p**

**seras3791: I'm so sorry for making you wait for sooooo long. Hopefully, this chapter was worth the wait x**

**DRUON: I added more of those elements in this chapter. Enjoy! x**

**sunlightangels – I wanted to reply to you but you have PMs blocked =p Thank you for both your reviews. I absolutely love harem fics so tend to write them too =p The Orihime thing will be revealed in later chapters x**

**This chapter goes out to all my lovely reviewers! But I want say special thanks to Gaamatsu96 and 1SuperKawaii for being the inspiration for this chapter! (I'll explain at the end) Love you all x**

**(RR: I know you probably won't ever read this but deep down I really regretted missing you in Old Smoky. Perhaps our paths would cross some other time...? We can only hope... )**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

* * *

**Carrot Soup**

'MUSIC! Will someone put on some bloody music!'

Everyone cringed at Rangiku's incredibly loud voice. It echoed throughout the entire room; almost shaking the walls. A few of the volunteers scattered around in different directions desperately trying to find an appropriate CD to play on the stereo. Rukia looked around the whole place.

'Where is he?' Rukia huffed. She stopped looking around and folded her arms in frustration.

Today was the day for the first round of auditions. It was being held in the hall after lessons. Twenty minutes in and after a few auditions Byakuya was still nowhere to be seen.

'Don't worry, Rukia, I'll be your leading man instead,' Ulquiorra offered. She gasped. He sneaked up her without any detection.

'That will not be necessary,' Byakuya said flatly as he strolled into the hallway.

'Cheeky-san!' she gasped; actually surprised he turned up. It was unfortunate for Ulquiorra since he felt the complete opposite.

Byakuya was very reluctant to participate in this play at all but Rangiku had scolded him and Rukia. She threatened to give them both detentions if they did not take part in the audition. Byakuya really didn't want another detention. It would greatly disappoint his grandfather especially if he already got one only yesterday! So, he here he was.

'Ah! Byakuya! Thank you for joining us!' Rangiku clapped her hands in glee. She even jumped out of her directors' chair to greet him.

'Did you forget your script, Byakuya?' Ulquiorra noticed the lack of paperwork.

'I have memorized all my lines and no longer saw a need for it,' he retorted.

'Perfect! You're up next.' Rangiku turned her attention elsewhere.

'NOW WHERE'S MY MUSIC!' she screamed.

'Maybe we could just imagine there's music?' Rukia suggested.

'Nonsense! It's very important to have music in this scene.'

Today, the pair was acting out a scene from William Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' to see if they had any 'chemistry'. Students were to act out scenes from 'Pride and Prejudice' in their second round of audition. Well, that's only if they made it through the first one.

'MUSIC!'

'Here, Matsu-sensei, use this,' Ulquiorra handed his ipod to her.

'Great! Byakuya; Rukia you can both make your way to the stage while we put some music on.'

'Do I have to...?' she muttered under her breath.

Rukia was panicking. In this scene, her character was actually a girl pretending to be a boy. How ironic was that!

* * *

Both Byakuya and Rukia stood on the newly varnished wooden floor boards of the stage. They were waiting for a cue from their English teacher. And then they saw Rangiku point her finger towards them. Rukia chewed on her lip in a nervous spell.

_Breathe, Rukia, breathe!_

'Give me some music,' Byakuya began with his first line. And the music began to play softly in the background.

'Isn't this the new soundtrack to Bleach? I love that anime!'

'Rukia, stick to the script,' he instructed.

'Hai...' She paused to read her script and rolled her eyes, '...my lord.'

She whispered that last part as she tried to get into character. She found it annoying that she also had to bow to him.

'Come forward, boy,' he requested. Slowly, she walked closer to Byakuya.

'Thou shalt stand at my Oliva's doors until thou have an audience,' he suggested. Byakuya's character was in love with a woman and was asking Rukia to woo her for him.

'Say I do speak with her, my lord, what then?'

'O, then unfold the passion of my love in a waltz,' Byakuya suggested and offered Rukia his hand. She shook her head.

'I think not, my lord. A good dancer I am not.'

'O, dear lad, than I sought to teach thou the art of dance. Come.'

Byakuya took Rukia's little hand into his. A jolt of electricity sparked through the pair. Their eyes widened at the sensitive touch. For a moment there Byakuya had forgotten his lines. Rukia blinked rapidly.

'My lord?'

God, she hated referring that word with Byakuya but it did wake him up from his little daze. Gently, he pulled her closer to his body. His other hand nervously went to caress her waist. A lump formed inside his throat while she blushed furiously. Bravely, she tilted her head up to look him in the eyes. Something tense was swimming his misty eyes. The stereo skipped to the next song.

_And in your eyes, I see ribbons of colours..._

Rukia's heartbeat quickened without her permission as she danced slowly with him. A weird feeling was twisting inside her again. She blushed all over.

_I feel my unconscious merge with yours..._

'How...' Byakuya had to clear his throat first. 'How dost thou like this tune?'

_I'm falling into you..._

_This dream could come true..._

_And it feels so good falling into you..._

'It... '

_I'm falling like a star..._

She gulped down her nerves. 'It echoes where love is...'

_...falling where you are..._

'Is there a love you favour?' Byakuya asked. Both Rukia's eyes and blush widened.

'I...' Why was she sweating all of a sudden?

'What kind of person is it?' he asked without ever dropping their eye contact.

'Someone... Someone of_ your_ complexion...'

'Of what age?' Byakuya continued.

'About_ your_ years, my lord...' Her blush turned more red.

'Alas, too old...'

_Catch me don't let me drop..._

_Love me don't ever stop..._

They gradually stopped dancing at the end of the scene and to the end of the song. Their hands were still twisted within each other's and they showed no sign of letting go. Neither of them could take their eyes of each other. They only snapped out of their trance when Rangiku started praising and applauding their lovely scene. A crowd of students also joined in the clapping.

'Marvellous!' Rangiku cheered. 'That was beautifully performed. I really felt the _love_ between you two!'

Rukia almost choked on her own embarrassment.

* * *

Rukia let out a small yawn. She rolled over to nudge the light on her clock. It was 3.03 a.m! She was tired but why couldn't she get to sleep? She had been tossing and turning in her bed all night. She tried everything. She tried counting sheep; drinking a warm glass of milk; and she even did some reading to try tire herself out but nothing worked.

Her eyes travelled over to the other side of the room to where Byakuya was sleeping. A little rosy blush appeared on the tips of her cheeks. A fluttering effect moved around her stomach.

_Why do I keep thinking about that dance? That __**stupid**__ dance! Stupid Cheeky-san! Stupid, stupid, stupid Cheeky-san!_

She lifted her pillow from under her neck and stuffed it into her face. She rubbed the fabric over herself to shake all the thoughts out of head.

_BAKA! Just go to sleep!_

Byakuya was sleeping on his side with his back towards her. But what Rukia didn't realise was that he wasn't sleeping either. His mind was puzzled with undefined feelings. No matter how much he wanted to sleep his brain just refused.

_I'm falling into you..._

He closed his eyes but all he could see was Rukia blushing cutely in his arms. Their bodies were so close to each other's. He could smell the subtle lavender body wash from her neck. An ache tightened around his heart and twisted his mind into knots. She occupied his thoughts throughout. Only her...

_What are you doing to me...?_

* * *

'Oi! Are you listening to me?'

Ashido picked up his calligraphy brush and swiped it across Rukia's nose. She woke up from her daze with a jerk. Her eyes peered down to make out a black splotch on the end of her nose.

'Hey! What was that for! BAKA!' she yelled and rubbed away the calligraphy ink with both hands.

'That's what you get for ignoring me,' Ashido pouted.

He moved to try draw more ink on the rest of her face. She swayed from left to right then back to the left again to dodge his attacks.

'I wasn't ignoring you,' she protested.

'Are you alright, Rukia?' He stopped fooling and even sounded like he was genuinely worried. 'You've been quiet all day.'

'You would know that, wouldn't you, Ashido?' his brother asked as he peered over Rukia's shoulder. 'You pay attention to Rukia's _every_ move, don't you?'

Well, that was more of a statement rather than a question. Rukia couldn't disguise her slight blush at the comment.

'What's that supposed to mean!' Ashido demanded. 'I just thought Rukia was acting a little weird today.'

'Are you really that oblivious...?' Ichigo muttered under his breath. A hidden meaning lied within his words.

'What did you say, Ichi-'

Rukia took her opportunity the moment Ashido was distracted and inked over Ashido's eye. A thick outline circled around Ashido's left eye. She burst out laughing. She laughed so hard it hurt her tummy. He wasn't impressed.

'Oh, you wanna play, do you!'

Before he could fight back she screeched back her chair and jumped out of her seat. He went to chase after her and they went running around the empty seats of the class. Ukitake had departed early after another violent coughing fit and left the students alone for 20 minutes until the next class. He asked them to continue their calligraphy practice but it was obvious they weren't going to do that.

'Oi! Get back here!' Ashido demanded.

She continued giggling to herself and ran behind Byakuya using him and his desk as a shield from Ashido. They both circled around Byakuya who was trying very hard to continue with his writing.

'Must you act like children?' Byakuya sighed.

'He's talking to you,' Rukia suggested.

'He's talking to _you_!' he sneered. Rukia poked her tongue out towards Ashido in a playful manner.

'It is rather difficult to hold a steady brush with you two pushing around me,' he complained. Ashido sighed.

'Come on, Byakuya, we've got no class. Why don't you do something that's fun?' He wiped off the panda looking eye he got from Rukia.

'Yeah! Let's have a game of football!' Ichigo suggested.

'I politely decline,' his cold tone cut through the atmosphere.

'Our Byakuya doesn't do sports, right? It's not very graceful.' Ulquiorra remarked as he strolled in.

'I believe that calligraphy_ is_ a sport,' Byakuya deadpanned.

'Is it?'

'It's not_ really_ a sport. Not one that you get sweaty and physical with,' Rukia explained. Ulquiorra grinned and put an arm around her shoulder.

'You get physical and sweaty in sex. Is that a sport then?' he purred.

'Eh...'

She was lost for words and her entire face went up in flames. She diverted her eyes away but she knew full well that the prefect was still gazing at her. She could feel how intense his stares were. She blushed even more when she heard him chuckle.

It was perfect timing when Unohana Retsu swung through the door dead on time for potions class. A gush of students soon followed her. All students knew that she was very punctual with her classes and she would not be very forgiving for anyone who was late for hers. Rukia made her way to her seat as did everyone else and thanked the Heavens for saving her from yet another sticky situation.

'Good morning, class. Today, we will be doing something different,' Retsu announced.

She brought out some white plastic bags and gave one each to the students at the front of the class. They couldn't help but fish inside the bag for something interesting.

'Carrots?'

'What's this about?'

'Are we using carrots in potions, sensei?'

'Each of you, take one and pass the bag down to your next class mate. Then bring the remaining carrots to me.' she ordered.

The whole class did as they were told and she collected up the plastic bags to tuck them under her desk. The students looked at their vegetable with a quizzing look. Ichigo snapped off a bite from the tip. His teacher frowned and shook her head in disapproval.

'Kursosaki-san, please refrain from eating that if you don't wish to receive detention for the entire month.' Ichigo spat his mouthful out.

_What else is it for if it's not for eating!_

'This year, you will all be turning 18; reaching the age of consent. Thus, you may become sexually active. As the senior doctor of Seireitei High, it is my responsibility to teach you about sex.' Some of the boys sniggered at the word. Rukia started to sweat.

'Or maybe there's something I could teach _you_ about sex...' someone muttered which earned more laughter.

'Want a taste of my_ carrot_?' a student asked and waved the vegetable around while others chuckled. Rukia bit her lip.

_Am I missing something here...?_

'Alright, settle down now,' Retsu demanded. It shut the students up... for now.

'You all had human biology class in your first year so I won't be teaching you boys about sex as such. Instead,' she pulled a flat squared wrapper before continuing, 'I will be teaching you about this.'

'What's that?' Rukia whispered to herself. Byakuya rolled his eyes and held up his hand.

'If this is not necessary, may I be excused from class, sensei?' he asked.

'Unfortunately, Kuchiki-san, this class is mandatory. All students must attend or else they will fail potions/science class.' He slumped back into his chair; defeated.

'Can anyone tell me what this is?' Retsu asked.

'It's a condom, sensei,' Ulquiorra answered and winked at Rukia but she just looked blankly back at him.

_Is it some sort of sweet?_

'That is correct. I will be informing you about protection. It is important to use precautions during sex for birth control but also for protection against sexually transmitted disease.' She removed the condom from the shiny silver wrapper.

'When opening up the packaging, be careful not to tear the condom,' she continued. She brought a carrot to show to the class.

'Now, pretend this is your penis.'

And then it finally clicked with Rukia. She turned beetroot red and watched in horror as Retsu carefully pulled the condom over the carrot like a glove. She tried her best to stifle a gasp and looked away. She hid under her hand; too embarrassed to carry on watching.

_Dear God, forgive me for I have sinned..._

'I'll give you each a condom to practice putting it on your _carrot_.'

_Hell no!_

Syayel smirked and combed through his long hair with his fingers. He picked up his carrot with his other hand.

'Oh, Prefect-san, I have a problem with my carrot.'

His voice was whiney like a child moaning to his mother. He pointed the vegetable towards his mouth. He fluttered his eyelids at Ulquiorra and pouted.

'I think mine's too big...' That wicked grin on his face wouldn't disappear but Ulquiorra just politely looked away with a blank face.

The doctor disappeared into another bag and began handing out condoms to the over-excited teenagers. Rukia's moved rapidly from left to right as she tried to think of a plan to get out of class.

_Maybe I could pretend to be sick...? BAKA! Unohana-sensei is a doctor! She'll see through me straight a-_

Before she could finish her trail of thoughts Ulquiorra pushed a brown wrapper along her desk with a cheeky smile. She peered over to him still shielding her face with her hand and then stared back at the condom.

'Use this one. I have _plenty_,' he winked at her and leaned in close to her ear.

'It's chocolate flavoured,' he purred.

'You like eating it, don't you?'

He grinned wickedly as her face flashed bright red. Without taking his eyes off her, he delved into his wallet and pulled out another condom. Sensually, he ripped open the packaging with his perfect white teeth. Rukia's eyes widened. Her heartbeat galloped faster and faster the more she continued to watch him. Her body temperature soured higher covering her with more sweat.

As the other students were too busy being distracted by Restu's handouts, Ulquiorra popped the same coloured condom into his mouth. The carrot closely followed into his mouth. Slowly, he pushed the long carrot into his mouth and placed the condom on skilfully with his tongue. A little cold shiver travelled up Rukia's spine. Then she dropped out of her seat and fainted. The hot air had got her and was too much for her to handle.

Byakuya quickly reached out and caught her in mid air before she fell onto the floor.

_I'm falling into you..._

'Rukia!' Ashido gasped. Other students also looked on.

Byakuya held onto her firmly and safely in his arms away from her predator. He threw a displeased look at Ulquiorra as he stood up straight.

'I must strongly advise you not to corrupt Rukia, Prefect-san.'

Byakuya's tone was flat and cold but with a hint of threat. Ulquiorra was beginning to really irritate him. He never ever paid much heed to Ulquiorra's actions before but lately he's been finding him rather annoying. It was really getting under his skin especially at the way he acted around Rukia. Byakuya wasn't sure why he felt that way but... He looked down at the petite girl in his arms.

_You really should stay away from him..._

Ichigo pulled his strawberry flavoured condom with his fingers. He closed one eye to launch a surprise attack on his brother. When he caught him off guard he let go of the weapon. It pinged up but flew off course in mid flight and smacked Byakuya in the face. The prince threw a death glare at him. Needless to say that he was rather offended. If he hadn't already had his hands full he would have cut him into dices on the spot. Well, he would have, if Ichigo hadn't flew out of the classroom first like a bolt of lightning...

'Kurosaki Ichigo...'

Byakuya's voice descended to a deeper tone than usual. It trembled through his body and caused Rukia to stir. He went to look down when the little girl shifted about. Her eyelashes flickered before she managed to peel open her eyes. And his misty eye locked onto her bright violet ones. His eyes widened slightly as he realised he was still holding her bridal style.

_Why am I not putting her down? Surely that would be the normal thing to do!_

She blinked nervously as she found herself closely pushed against his body... again! Her heart pumped faster and faster; too fast to be normal.

_Why do I feel like this everytime he's close to me...? _

* * *

The diner hall overflowed with students. A sea of long rectangular tables spread across the massive room. Clean; crisp white cloths covered each table. A huge crystal vase sat in the middle of each table with assorted fresh flowers. An impressive kitchen situated towards the back of the diner. A lovely aroma and sizzling noises came from it. The school could afford to hire fine chefs to cook for their students. It was extremely luxurious food too.

'There you are!'

Ashido pointed out Rukia sitting on her own. She couldn't hear him call out to her due the huge noise in the room. It was lunchtime and bustling with other students chatting and shouting over each other's voices. A few playful fights broke out in the background. Some boys were pushing in front of the queue and the queue definitely didn't like that. One boy thought it was a good idea to throw his chips at a friend and a food fight soon began from that. Arguing started when others kept swiping food off their mates' plates.

'Aren't you hungry?' Ichigo asked.

The twins pulled out a chair each and sat on either side of Rukia. She had a bento with some sushi but she didn't even take a bite. She had a salmon sushi, her favourite, in her hand but she was just staring into space; dumbfounded.

'I... I' she stuttered. She was feeling really... _weird_ after that episode with Byakuya. After being in _his_ arms...

_Cheeky-san's arms..._

'Rukia, why have you suddenly turned bright red?'

'Maybe she's unwell?' Ichigo wondered.

'Here, try this. It'll make you feel better,' Ashido offered. He placed a white bowl on the table in front of her.

'I got this especially for you.' She scowled at him and the food. Suspicious at his gesture. Suspicious of him.

'What is it?'

'_Carrot_ soup!' he answered with a cheeky smile. He had got it for her deliberately to tease her.

'No thanks. I don't think I could ever look at carrots in the same way ever again...' Rukia muttered.

She attempted to get up to leave but both Kurosaki twins instantly pulled her back down into her seat again. They kept their weight on her shoulders; telling her to not move. She was trapped in between them.

'Or maybe you'd like a _banana_?'

Ichigo waved the fruit in front of her. His elder brother burst out in fits of giggles.

'That's a good one! Or maybe you want to try my _sausage_!' Ashido pierced the sausage with his fork and lifted it up.

'I'll even feed it to you!'

Rukia's face burnt with embarrassment as the twins continued with their sexual implications all lunch. And lunch was for an hour...

_I came down to Earth but somehow ended up in Hell...!_

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**Ooh Ulquiorra and the Kurosaki twins are so _naughty_****! I love it! Lol So, Gaamatsu96, you only mentioned the word 'parenthood' but that was enough for me to write the**_** carrot**_** scene lol.**

******1SuperKawaii, thanks for suggesting me to read 'Twelfth Night'. I decided to add a scene from it. I made a lot of alterations to the original scene to add as much ByaRuki-ness as possible**

**I'm finding it hard to from 2 different stories each week. So I will be putting my vampire fic on hold for a while to concentrate on Cupids for a few chapters because everyone seems to enjoy this story more. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this. Let me know what you think. All reviews welcomed. Ja x**


	8. Pillow Talk

**Merry Christmas everyone! I finally stopped stuffing myself with chocolate and thought I'd update this chapter as an early present. My longest chapter too =) x Thank you to all my reviewers: SunRises, blackbubbledancer, ai-haibara777, isara-love, DRUON, vicky73, tokiko76, L, Nikki-4, seras3791, silverqueen, YuzurihaNoRyuu, ZangetsuIchigo13 and bunnyy18. Your reviews and PMs made me really happyl enough to warm me all through the winter. Love you all! x**

**DRUON: This chapter is probably not as funny but there's more ByaRuki development. Hope you still enjoy it =p It's really sweet especially it's their first love x**

**isara-love: Icecream's probably a bit too cold to eat at the moment. There's still a lot of snow around my home =p But I have mountains of chocolates to munch on! lol x**

**vicky73: Unfortunately there's no mistletoe in this chapter as it's still only October in the story =p But that does give me an idea...!**

**L: I do believe they have fallen in love with each but just haven't realised it yet. I don't know if that makes any sense... =p**

**seras3791: You're my 100th reviewer! Thank you!**

**silverqueen: Thank you! I have such dirty humour and perverted mind to be a girl! lol Although this chapter's more romantic than funny =p**

**I would like to dedicate this chapter all my reviewers and especially to tokiko76. You gave me the idea for this chapter. You'll understand once you've read it. Please enjoy x**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

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Pillow Talk

'Amazing!'

'Well done!'

'Rukia made it! Rukia!'

There was a bundle of students crowding around the students' notice board. A fresh news bulletin was pinned to it. Everyone was excited and cheering because of it. The Kurosaki twins raced out of the mob when they spotted their toy nearby.

'Rukia!'

She was against a wall and rubbing her back against it. Her eyebrows twisted at the discomfort. The itchiness was increasing. It was unbearable.

'Is something the matter?'

Rukia jumped up at the smooth deep voice which was hiding next to her. Her cheeks flushed a hint of red.

'N-No...' she meekly offered.

_Why am I blushing just by the sound of his voice!_

Byakuya looked away in his usual cool way. He had to stop looking at her. Every little move of hers was capturing his attention; his interest.

_Why? Why does she have this effect on me?_

'Rukia! You made it!' Rukia raised a confused eyebrow at Ashido.

'I made what?'

'The first audition of the play,' he explained.

_First audition..._

Both Byakuya and Rukia couldn't help taking a sneaky look at each other as they remembered about their tender dance. Her big violet eyes shied away the moment Byakuya caught her looking at him.

_I'm falling into you..._

'You're through to the second round. Both of you are!' Ichigo continued.

'That's not possible...' Byakuya and Rukia exchanged another awkward look at each other for saying the same thing at the same time.

'I mean...' she stuttered, 'I mean I couldn't possibly have gotten through with my poor acting skills.'

Rukia laughed nervously to cover up her embarrassment. She took a secret peek at Byakuya who kept quiet and looked emotionless as usual. Inside, he was experiencing something unfamiliar; a feeling he had lost a long time ago. He thought he lost it forever.

_I think I actually feel... happy. Why?_

_Is it because I actually enjoy acting? _

_Is it because I secretly want to take part in the play? _

_Or is it because I want..._

His misty eyes seemed to wonder over to the petite girl again. But she was already gone. He somewhat felt a bit disappointed...

* * *

'Ah!'

Rukia ran into her dorm room in a hurry. She scratched at her back frantically as soon as she closed the door behind her. Her eyes wondered around.

'Anybody here?' she yelled.

No one answered her. She searched high and low until she was certain she was alone in the room. It was a pointless question. It was lunch time and everyone should be in the diner or outside in the sunshine. Quickly, she stripped off her school blazer and shirt to reveal a white vest. The urge to itch grew so she locked the bedroom door for some privacy. Her dainty little fingers tucked under the vest to pull over her head.

'Ruki-AH!'

'AH!' she screamed at the sudden voice from nowhere.

'What the Hell are you doing!' Renji asked as he automatically turned shielded his eyes with his hands. He was good at sneaking around and was now able to enter a room without being detected.

'BAKA! What the Hell are YOU doing! This is MY room!' she yelled. Renji couldn't resist taking a slight peak through the gaps of his fingers only to be disappointed.

'What's that?'

He moved his hand away for a fuller view. He sounded somewhat puzzled by the image. Rukia looked down and instantly tried to cover herself up with her vest.

'It'...' she hesitated. 'It's nothing...'

'Is that a cardboard?' He raised an eyebrow.

'NO!' she answered a bit too quickly.

Hiding underneath her vest was a thick cardboard strapped around her torso and bra. It was used to conceal her breasts in case they showed through her clothes. Renji burst out laughing which displeased Rukia.

'What's so funny!'

'You...' Renji couldn't continue until he giggled some more. Her irritation increased.

'Baka, I said, what's so funny!' Renji laughed so hard he had to sit down on Ichigo's bed and hold his stomach.

'You don't need a cardboard. You've nothing to hide!' He laughed some more.

'What are you talking-'

'I mean, you don't even have any boobs!' He roared with more laughter.

'Of course I do! They maybe a little small...'

_BAKA! Why am I discussing my breasts with Renji!_

'You're as flat as that piece of cardboard!'

'Teme...!'

She picked up Ashido's pillow and kneeled onto the bed. She started pounding Renji's head with pillow punches. He quickly retaliated with Ichigo's pillow and walloped her over the face but she managed to dodge it in time.

'Is that all you've got!' she teased and hit him in the face.

'Oh, you want more!' he threatened and whacked her stomach with the fluffy weapon.

'AH!' she squealed.

They continued hitting each other playfully until they exhausted all their energy and collapsed onto the bed with their back on it. They huffed and puffed and giggled in between.

* * *

'Prefect-san! Prefect-san!' Ulquiorra coolly turned around to see Szayel following him around like a lost puppy _again_.

'Prefect-san, I made you a bento. Please accept me... I mean, please accept my little token of admiration.'

Szayel bowed and pushed a pink bento towards the prefect. Ulquiorra could see rice balls wrapped in heart shapes and decorated with pink and white sakura petals. It did smell lovely but sadly, Ulquiorra wasn't interested in the bento or Szayel. If he accepted the bento that would mean he accepted Szayel and he had no intention of doing that!

'Unfortunately, I have already eaten, but thank you for going through the trouble of making me one.' He flashed him a small smile; hoping that Szayel would take the hint and leave.

'Prefect-san...' he pleaded.

'Gomen, I have a prefect meeting to attend. Please excuse me.' And with that, Ulquiorra departed.

A storm brew around Szayel. How many times had he been rejected by Ulquiorra? It happened on so many occasions that he had lost count. What irritated him the most was that it wasn't always like that. Ulquiorra was nice to him before but he started reacting really cold around him since-

'Since that slut turned up!'

He threw the bento onto the floor in a blind rage. The food fell out and rolled along the grass but he was too angry to care. Ulquiorra's attentions turned to Rukia the very first day she appeared. It was so obvious.

'That bloody midget pretends to be all innocent and flirts with _my_ Prefect-san! I'll teach that midget to steal my-'

He fired his eyes across to the dorm rooms and caught a glimpse of a red-headed man slip into Rukia's room through her bedroom window. Szayel thought it odd especially when he didn't recognise the male. His imagination ran wild. Maybe it was a secret lover? Maybe Rukia was up to no good? Maybe it was something he could kick her out of school for...!

Curiosity got the better of him and he raced off to find out what was going on. It must have taken him several minutes to run around the campus and up the extra flight of stairs. When he finally reached Rukia's room he refused to knock on the door. Instead, he pressed his ear close to it to spy on what was going on inside. All he could hear was the bed squeaking and creaking. It was like something or someone was rocking on it.

'Is that all you've got!'

'Oh, you want more!'

'AH!' she squealed.

The bed creaked more and mixed in with some huffs and puffs from Rukia and the mystery man. Szayel's eyes widened and his mind filled with naughty thoughts. He couldn't help blushing a little.

_Caught in the act! _

'I must tell Prefect-san!' He ran off to find Ulquiorra. 'Prefect-san will be all mine once he finds out what a whore you are!' He grinned wickedly; unable to hide his excitement.

* * *

'Renji, what...' Rukia paused to get her breath back, 'what are you doing here anyway?'

'Baka, why do you think I'm here?'

He threw the pillow onto Rukia's face. Well, he threw what was left of the pillow at her. Both their pillows were shattered from all their play-fighting. The bed and floor was dusted with feathers. It was an incredible mess but who didn't enjoy a pillow fight!

'I'm here to check how my best friend is getting along; make sure she's okay.'

'Thanks,' Rukia smiled.

Renji was her first friend. He was always there for her; protecting her. She loved him for it... even if he really was an idiot most of the time. He was her true friend. He clasped his huge hand over her head and ruffled her hair in a rough way.

'How's it going with the match-making, anyway?'

'Eh... The match-making...'

'You haven't forgotten about it have you?'

'Of course I haven't!'

'Or are you having too much fun in the human world that you've forgotten why you're actually here for?' he asked with a raised eyebrow. He could tell Rukia was hiding something. It wasn't in her character to stutter or hesitate. She was a strong and confident girl.

'B-Baka! What's that supposed to mean!'

If she was truly honest, she really was having a lot of fun in the real world. Sure enough there were a few awkward moments, (don't ever mention carrots or sausages!) but most of her time was very enjoyable. Everyone was really nice to her and she was getting quite attached to them. Three; four weeks went by but she still hadn't completed her mission. Neither was there any progress. Instead, she got lost in time with playing around. And then there was Byakuya. He constantly distracted her from her real mission. She was too busy trying to figure out these weird feelings she got whenever he was around her. Rengi's appearance made her realise that she straying away.

'Angels don't belong in the human world.' Rukia's eyes widened.

'You must not form any sentimental bonds with humans. It's against the rules.' Renji had suddenly switched to serious mode.

'I know that...' she whispered. Then the itchiness returned again.

'Renji, can I ask a favour from you?'

He looked blankly at her while she stood up. She swirled round with her back facing him and two holes appeared in her back. A few white feathers peaked through first and then suddenly a wave of them burst through. They arched out of her back until you could see a full pair of wings. Feathers rustled as they rubbed against each other and she flapped her wings to get rid of the ache. She had hid her wings in her back for such a long time; only to reveal them everytime she bathed. Each night she would clean her wings but it wasn't enough. All feathers needed to be dried and brushed thoroughly. Normally, angels would help each other to clean their wings but it wasn't possible in Rukia's current situation. Dirt built up over the four weeks in the human world which caused her itchy outbreak. She couldn't itch properly either since she couldn't reach it.

'God, your wings look awful!'

'Shut up! I've been itching all day and there's a bit where I can't reach. It's driving me crazy!'

'Come here.' Renji got up and started scratching at her feathers.

'How's that?'

'A bit more to the left. That's it!'

'Like that?' Rukia closed her eyes; finally relieved. She probably even moaned a little.

'Ah, that's it.' Renji pulled up his fingernails to see the slight grit under them.

'God, you really are quite dirty!'

'Don't stop, Renji!'

'Hai, hai.' He continued to scratch.

* * *

'Are you certain? Maybe you're mistaken?' Ulquiorra hoped.

'I'm positive, Prefect-san!' Szayel confirmed as he pulled Ulquiorra by the arm. They were marching quickly along the hallway.

'They were definitely having sex. Rukia brings a different man everyday! It's disgusting!' Ulquiorra widened his eyes and quickened his footsteps.

'That can't be true!'

'Hurry, Prefect-san!' Szayel urged.

They soon approached outside Rukia's dorm room. Both men leant on the door to listen in on what was going on inside. They breathed very quietly so they wouldn't miss anything. Ulquiorra's eyes widened. Two distinctive voices could be heard. One belonged to Rukia for sure and the other was an unknown male.

'...That's it!'

'Like that?' A little moan escaped from Rukia's lips.

'Ah, that's it.'

'God, you really are quite dirty!'

'Don't stop, Renji!'

'Hai, hai.'

_Renji...?_

Ulquiorra clenched his fists tightly. His mind desperately tried to think if there was a student in Sereitei High called by that ugly name. If Ulquiorra knew who he was he'd make sure he was not only expelled from school but he'd make sure he wouldn't be able to walk for a very long time. That would teach him to steal another person's prey!

'Oh, that feels good...' she paused. 'Harder, please...'

Then the anger in Ulquiorra slowly slipped away and was replaced by a different feeling. He even felt a slight blushing appearing over his cheeks. It was that purring voice Rukia put on and _those_ words. Erotic-like words. It was as if...

_It's as if you're saying them to me..._

'Rukia, are you done yet? I'm getting tired,' Renji complained. Ulquiorra frowned.

_Pillow talk is supposed to be dirty yet romantic..._

But Renji's voice ruined the mini fantasy for Ulquiorra. It was probably for the best since it would have been rather awkward if Ulquiorra suddenly got aroused! He shook his head to wake himself up. His elegant hand went to turn the door knob but it was jammed. It was locked to be more precise. Why would someone lock their bedroom door in the middle of the day? That spelt something sinister was going on inside. It made Ulquiorra panic.

'Rukia!' He raised his voice slightly and knocked heavily on the door. 'Open this door.'

* * *

'Oh, my God!' Rukia gasped. She looked at the state she was in and then at Renji for assistance.

'Put your damn clothes on!' he whispered loudly. He ran up the bedroom stairs to leave out of the window while Rukia tucked her wings into her back again.

'Open the door, Rukia.'

'Just a second!' Her eyes wandered around in a panic state.

_Where did I put my uniform!_

KKK

'Just a second!'

'NOW, RUKIA,' Ulquiorra ordered and banged the door. He was getting impatient. He suddenly thought that the unknown man would escape. He wanted to know who it was and so tried to open the door again.

'If you don't open it in three seconds I'm going to break the door down,' he threatened.

'Wait!'

'One, two-'

'Is there a reason why you're crowding outside my dorm chamber?' a low voice interrupted.

'Oh, Byakuya-san! That Rukia is hiding a secret lover in your room!' Szayel explained.

'Rukia's not like that,' Ashido claimed. He and Ichigo heard some noise and rushed over in case it was about something fun.

'It is not in Rukia's character to act so inappropriately,' Byakuya added calmly. He never doubted her for one moment.

'I saw a man enter her room with my own eyes and I heard them having sex!'

'You liar!' the twins jumped in.

'It's true! I swear on my fabulous manicured nails!' He was so certain he decided to wager with his lovely long purple fingernails. They took him forever to grow along with great care but he was willing to bet on them.

'Byakuya,' Ulquiorra decided to ignore the children's squabble. 'Give me your dorm key.'

'Prefect-san, perhaps-'

'It wasn't a question.' There were many advantages in being a prefect. One of which was that you could boss everyone in your year around... even if he was a prince!

* * *

The slight turning of the key captured Rukia's attention. She managed to find her shirt at least but was in the middle of doing up her buttons. Her fingers fumbled around just when it mattered the most. As if in slow motion she heard the click of the door unlocking, the key jerked out of the keyhole, the door knob shrieked as a hand twisted it to open and the door creaked just before it swung around.

_How am I going to explain this...?_

* * *

'Er...' She looked at the floor nervously trying to avoid everyone's intense stares. All eyes in the room were on her.

'Sorry I took so long to open the door. I was... I was a little..._busy_,' she offered meekly. Wrong choice of words.

None of them saw what they expected to see. There was no one inside the room except for Rukia but Rukia's look didn't help the situation. Her hair was messy like she had been through something quite_ physical_. Then there was something else. Her shirt was scruffy and not tucked into her trousers like usual and-

'Rukia, why is your shirt inside out?' Szayel asked the million dollar question everyone wanted to know the answer to.

'Huh?' she automatically stared down her torso. She was in such a rush that she had put it on inside out without noticing it. Ulquiorra rushed upstairs to the only window a person could fit through. There was no one outside and nothing suspicious. He made a mental note to figure out who this Renji was.

'I... I...' Rukia was lost for words and Szayel wasn't going to give her time to make up an excuse.

'My, my, what happened here?' he asked and stepped further into the room; examining every detail.

The bed sheets were tangled, the pillows were on the floor and there were feathers all over the place. He flicked his pink hair and grinned at Rukia.

'It looks like you had a lot of _fun_ here!' Rukia looked puzzled.

_What does he mean? Did he see me? Does he know I'm an angel...!_

'Did you have to have sex in _my_ bed?' Ichigo asked. 'Has anyone got any bleach? My sheets will need to be disinfected. Or shall I burn them?'

'Huh? Who?' Rukia asked. Ichigo raised an eyebrow at the obvious answer.

'No-No-No!' She waved her hands in the air and shook her head. 'I wasn't having sex! You've got it all wrong!' she protested.

'Oh? And how do you explain all this?

'It's not like that. I promise. You've got to believe me,' she pleaded. Her eyes instantly travelled to Byakuya first. He looked cold. His emotions unreadable as usual.

_Cheeky-san, you of all people must believe me. Please..._

'Rukia-'

'And who was that man I saw going into your room?' Szayel dared to interrupt the prince. He just wouldn't let it go.

'I... Him...' Rukia hesitated. The room filled with silence. She couldn't exactly tell them he was another angel...

Ashido grabbed the bed sheets and buried his head in them. It confirmed what he already believed.

'Rukia didn't have sex with anyone. You can't even smell it,' he explained.

'What are you talking about?'

'Sex smells and there's none of that in the room or on the bed.' Rukia cocked her head up.

_And you would know what sex smells like...?_

'Plus,' Ashido continued, 'your skin is supposed to glow. But look at Rukia, he's not sweaty nor does he have a blush on his face. Rukia's face actually looks quite dull and dry.'

'Teme...' she whispered.

'Like I said, Ashido, you really can't keep your eyes off Rukia,' Ichigo muttered.

'Did you say something?' Ashido asked.

Ulquiorra eventually made his way back down and walked closer to Rukia. He tilted her head up towards him and leaned in. He inhaled her scent deeply. His breath tickled closely at her neck. There was no smell of sex; only the hint of lavender fragrance.

'Ashido may be right. but just to be absolutely certain I will need to conduct a physical examination on Rukia's body,' Ulquiorra suggested.

'Prefect-san!' Rukia gasped. There was no way in Hell was she going to strip in front of Ulquiorra and let him look at her most private areas!

'That won't be necessary. It was just a practical joke Rukia and I played.' Everyone turned their attention to Byakuya as he continued.

_It's against my nature to lie but for Rukia..._

_I won't let Ulquiorra..._

'The twins have been playing jokes on us so we thought we would play one on them. I asked a friend and Rukia to mess around with their beds to teach them a lesson.'

'Cheeky-san...?' She wasn't sure why he was helping her but decided to play along. 'Gomen, for all the drama.' She bowed to everyone.

'And what about the shirt?' Szayel wasn't convinced.

'I took a shower before so that may be when I put it on the wrong way rou-'

'I find that very hard to believe,' he retorted.

'You're just jealous of Rukia,' Ashido cut in. Szayel looked the other way and laughed nervously.

'Me? Now why would I be jealous of that midget?' Rukia pouted.

_Who's he calling a midget!_

'Because Rukia's pretty and you're butt ugly' Ashido's comments made the drama queen gasp and Rukia blush.

'HOW DARE YOU CALL ME UGLY!' Szayel went running after Ashido to hit him for the remark. 'TAKE THAT BACK!'

'NEVER!'

'TAKE IT BACK NOW!'

'NEVER! UGLY-SAN!'

'TEME!'

'That's enough!' a stern voice cut through the noise. Ulquiorra recognised the person.

'Toshiro?'

'Ulquiorra, you left our important meeting to supervise this circus?'

Hitsugaya Toshiro was year twos' prefect. His short white hair that spiked outwards. A nice pair of turquoise eyes gave him a mystery feel. He wore a black tie with his white shirt but still looked like a 10 year old child. He was often teased about that by the girls and his family. You could tell he wasn't pleased by his sour face and the folded arms.

'Oh, yes, the prefect meeting,' Ulquiorra remembered.

'Hyorinmaru demands for your return.'

'Who's the kid?' Rukia asked Ashido.

'Sshhh! Don't you let him hear you say that!'

'Why not?' Ichigo hooked his arm around her shoulders.

'Toshiro is year twos' prefect and also the principal's nephew.'

'Oh, so that makes him and Hyorinmaru-'

'Cousins. They're cousins. So don't offend either of them,' Ashido advised and she nodded. Toshiro's eyes twitched.

'I heard that,' he growled. 'Maybe you need a detention to learn some manners?' he scoffed. Of course, another benefit was that prefects could issue detentions to other students. Ashido poked his tongue out at Rukia as if to blame her for getting him into trouble.

* * *

'Cheeky-san, are you asleep?'

'Yes, I am,' he retorted.

Great darkness enveloped them as time approached the midnight hour. Neither of the two were asleep. Probably too busy thinking of each other. A particular question kept re-appearing in Rukia's mind which really bugged her. She shifted her pillow into a more comfortable position.

'Can I ask you something?

'No, but I'm sure you're going to ask me anyway, right?' She frowned.

_Mr Bloody-I'm-Too-Clever-For-You-Own-Good!_

'I... Well...' She bit her lip. Why did he always seem to take her words away? She started her sentence again.

'Why-Why did you help me out earlier?'

'Who knows...'

'I thought you hate lying?' she pushed.

'You were telling the truth.'

Byakuya knew it. He believed her. He didn't know her for long but long enough to understand she was an innocent girl. A girl so innocent and pure that she fainted at just the sight of condoms!

'Thank you.' Byakuya was a little surprised by her words.

'You... I mean you're opinion matters to me the most...' Byakuya's eyes widened with surprise. She even surprised herself.

'I...' She blushed in the shadows. 'Goodnight,' she whispered before she hid herself inside her sheets from embarrassment.

_I mean the most to you...?_

A little warm feeling wriggled inside Byakuya. Was he secretly delighted that she thought so highly of him? Her small words blessed him with a blush. Who would have thought Kuchiki Byakuya could blush! And all because of this little girl...

_I think I'm in trouble..._

**

* * *

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Aw, so our dear Cheeky Byakuya is beginning to realise his feelings for Rukia! Lucky girl!

**Tokiko76, I hope you liked this chapter on Rukia's wings as I promised to write. Hope it was worth the wait x**

**Please leave a review if you enjoyed it. Every review really motivates me and would be the best Christmas present a reader can give to a writer. And who knows, I may be able to give you a New Year present too... =p Ja x**


	9. Tricky Night

**Hey everyone! Hope you all had a lovely New Year! X Gomen, gomen, for the late update. Lately, I've gotten really busy with a new part-time job and my course starting up again. Plus, there were a few problems with my FF account... So, I stayed up late last night and then my internet crashed (sigh) Well, this chapter is my longest to date to make up for the wait =p Thank you to all my reviewers and my lovely PMs: sunlightangels, vicky73, SunRises, bunny18, isara-love, Nikki-4, DRUON, ai-haibara, seras3791, L, silverqueen, CJ, tokiko76, YuzurihaNoRyuu, Yuniee and LuciL06.**

**sunlightangels: I am planning to feature more of Shiro-kun but I don't know if I'll place any HitsuRuki moments though... =p Hope you like this chapter too x**

**sereas3791: Look out for more ByaRuki development... x**

**L: Our Byakuya just keeps having to 'save' little innocent Rukia =p**

**silverqueen: Yes, I think it's so sweet too especially how they've fallen for each each other but don't even realise it yet! x**

**CJ: Thank you. I remember I had my sex ed class when I was 14 and the boys were just as awful! lol**

**LuciL06: Thank you for your lovely compliment! x I'm having a lot of fun with this story so I'm glad you are too x**

**tokiko76 – Hope you had a lovely birthday! **

**A reader issued me my first flame in the last chapter. Technically, Byakuya and Rukia are not biologically related just the same that Byakuya and Hisana are not related. There is no blood relation so it's not actually incest. Love it or hate it – I'm cool with either. If people want to waste their **_**own**_** time reading stories belonging to pairings they hate – I'm cool with that too. However, I **_**will**_** be continuing with this story and the ByaRuki-ness...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

**

* * *

**

Tricky Night

'If I wanted your opinion I would have slapped it out of you!'

Rangiku was yelling down the phone. She was in one of her weekly arguments with her boyfriend, Gin. They seemed to argue about anything and everything sometimes even about nothing. She always got passionately loud in their rows. It didn't matter that everyone in the teachers' office was staring at her. This time the couple were squabbling over her new BL novel.

'I didn't ask you to bloody read it, did I!' She raised her voice a little more. Rukia held up her hand meekly to get her teacher's attention.

'Ano, Matsu-sensei-'

'How can you say it's shit when you haven't even read it! TEME!'

'My, my...' Kyoraku muttered and shook his head from side to side.

'WHAT DID YOU SAY!' she continued to yell.

With that she threw her sake bottle across the room. The white porcelain shattered dramatically and narrowly missed Kyoraku's head. The cracked pieces covered the top of his straw hat. He froze stiff but all the other teachers ran out to avoid any more violence. He sighed.

'What a waste of good alcohol...'

'Kyoraku-kun, maybe it's wise to leave Matsu-sensei on her own for a while...!' Ukitake suggested and pulled his friend out of the office.

'WELL DON'T READ IT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT! BAAAAAKA!'

She hung up on him and threw her phone into the bin. Her body was heaving after such a heated argument. It was like it was on fire. She pulled open one of her drawers to search for something to calm her down. There was no room for school papers but only for her empty sake bottles. It was a wonder why the school continued to employ such a lazy drunk!

'Tck, that bastard made me spill my last bottle of sake...' Her chair shrieked when she pushed it back and got up.

'Sensei?' Rukia watched confusingly as her teacher walked off.

'I'm going to get more sake. I can't think straight without it. Wait there.'

'But...'

It was no use. Rangiku was already out of the office and the door closed shut. Rukia sighed. She came to withdraw from the auditions. Two months had passed but she still made no progress with her mission. She knew she was too distracted and too comfortable with the school life. It had to stop. It had to stop before she was too attached.

Her eyes rolled over the mountains of paperwork on Rangiku's desk. None were in any specific order. She walked over to sit on Rangiku's chair and found several empty alcohol bottles hidden under the desk. Rukia frowned.

_How does she stay awake!_

She shook her head but then noticed a particular piece on top of the piles of paper. It was the second audition list. And there was her name. She was picked to audition with Byakuya _again_. A smile crept over her little lips but then disappeared quickly. If she was honest, she was happy but she was soon pulled back to reality when she saw Hisana was also on the list. Apparently, Hisana was also interested in the female lead. An idea came to her as she remembered Renji's wise words. Although, he didn't have many...!

_Angels don't belong in the human world_

_You must not form any sentimental bonds with humans_

_It's against the rules_

'This has to be done,' she muttered to herself. It was as if she still had to convince herself; persuade herself to carry on.

She picked up a random pen and crossed out her own name and replaced it with Hisana's name. She then did the vice-versa with Hisana's name. She didn't even pay attention to who was to be her new partner. It didn't matter. She was actually excited before but now...

Byakuya and Hisana were finally going to meet each other. It was her mission to match them up together. It was the only reason for her being in the real world. But something didn't sit right inside her. She actually felt uncomfortable. But why?

_Is it because I secretly __**wanted**__ to audition with Cheeky-san? But why? He's nobody special... _

* * *

'So, for today's Elements Class, we'll be concentrating on the element of fire.'

'Fire! Where!'

Rukia suddenly woke up from her daze and interrupted the teacher. Her bright eyes looked all around. She was so busy lost in her own thoughts that she had no idea what was going on. The other students sniggered at her outburst.

'Wait. Where am I?'

The whole class were all out on the training field. A long stretch of short grass laid in front of them. Twenty archery targets where lined up 30 metres away from the students. The circular target consisted of two white outer rings, two black rings, two blue rings, two red rings and three gold inner rings.

'Am I boring you, Orikasa-san?' Kisuke asked as he peered at Rukia from under his green and white striped slipper hat. The boys giggled some more. Then she realised that she had got everyone's attention.

'N-No. Of course not, Urahara-sensei, please continue.' She bowed to express her humble apology. Kisuke smiled sweetly before continuing.

'As I was saying, you will be practising your fire element skills. Last year, you were already taught the basics in forming fire based spiritual energy. This year, we will be working on building up more of your energy for powerful spells and aiming at a particular target.'

Some of the boys began whispering to each other of their excitement. They hadn't really been taught destruction spells until this year. It was what they were looking forward to the most. Kisuke turned his back on the students and raised his hand from under his light green robes.

'Limit of the thousands hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. The road that basks in light...' he began.

'What's he doing?' Rukia asked.

'It's an incantation for a spell,' Ashido explained.

'For Senju Koten Taiho; a powerful spell to be accurate,' Byakuya corrected. Ashido rolled his eyes.

'That's right, make me look stupid in front of Rukia,' Ashido muttered under his breath; clearly annoyed.

'Whoa!'

'Cool!'

'Sweet Jesus!

All the boys were busy gasping over the show Kisuke was putting on. He had formed 10 pink blasts of energy. Then they all merged together to form one giant mass of power. It aimed towards one of the targets until it erupted into an explosion. A flash of pink light took out all 20 targets and pulled up all the grass around it. A tremor rumbled through the soil for a hundred miles.

'OH, YEAH!'

'WOOHOO!'

'HOT STUFF!'

'Now it's your turn,' Kisuke suggested as he turned back round to his students. Rukia's eyes widened.

'You expect us to do _that_, Urahara-sensei?' Not even her angelic powers could muster up that much destructive power!

'No, Orikasa-san. First, you boys will be aiming with this.' Kisuke produced a glowing red ball of energy. Several assistants went to replace new targets ahead.

'With that?' Rukia asked. She wasn't exactly good with fire-based elements...

'Look, look, Rukia!' Ashido held up a small version of the red cannon ball. 'Are you impress-'

Well, maybe she was impressed with his efforts until the ball blew up in his face. His red hair frizzled into an afro and burnt at the edges. He breathed out black puffs of smoke before collapsing onto his knees and burying his face in the dirt. The boys roared with laughter.

First lesson of kido: Control your spiritual energy! Guess he had to learn it the hard way!

'That's what you get for showing off,' Ichigo muttered and carried his brother off to see Retsu.

'Hado 31; Shakkaho.' Byakuya was the first to produce the red cannon Kisuke requested.

'Excellent, Kuchiki-san,' Kisuke praised. Rukia's eyes widened.

'A-Amazing, Cheeky-san!' She flashed him a cute smile; clearly impressed and that warm fuzzy feeling crept inside Byakuya again.

_You're not blushing in front of her again are you!_

Byakuya looked away silently; trying to contain his emotions. He then sent the fire cannon at one of the targets. It was a perfect hit to the centre and destroyed the target completely. Rukia praised him again and clapped energetically. Ulquiorra twitched. He wasn't going to let Byakuya steal the show. Bright green energy swirled around to form a ball above his hand. Layers and layers of concentrated power built up gradually. The energy was more tense which captured everyone's attention.

'Look! Look!'

'That's so cool!'

'Dude!'

'Is that a-'

'Cero...?' Kisuke whispered to himself.

'Prefect-san?'

'What do you think, Rukia? Is mine better than Byakuya's?' Rukia's eyes stretched open at the sight of it. The colour was so beautiful.

'Yours is bigger than Cheeky-san's,' she stated innocently.

'It sure is,' he purred into her little ear sending shivers down her spine. He flashed an evil grin towards Byakuya.

'You can have a lot more_ fun_ with mine...' Rukia gulped. A furious blush covered her cheeks.

_Is it me or is it the fire? It's suddenly gotten a lot hotter here...!_

* * *

Finally, it was the end of school. More importantly, it was the weekend. No school for two whole days! The teacher mentioned something about homework but no one really paid attention and rushed out of their classes. They all were busy making their way back to their dorms or back home.

'Trick or treat!' Ashido hurried to walk along Rukia's side. She looked puzzled.

'Huh?'

'So, what will you be wearing tonight?' Ashida asked. She instantly clomped Ashido with a heavy school bag.

'Pervert!'

'Ouch!' He rubbed the back of his head. 'I didn't mean-'

'He meant, 'What are you going to wear for our Halloween party tonight?' Ichigo interrupted.

'Party? Halloween?'

'Don't tell me you forgot?'

'Eh... Was I even invited? I don't really remember...'

'Everyone was invited. Even the girls at Shino were invited.'

'You are going, right?' Ashido asked. It sounded like more of a plea.

'Eh... Well, I have a lot of reading to catch up on and-'

'No, that won't do!' Ashido exclaimed. Him and his brother both clamped on one of her arms.

'Wh-What are you two doing?' She couldn't help but panic slightly. It was only natural since the twins were always up to no good.

'Kidnap operation begins!' they both shouted.

'KIDNAP? WHAT? LET GO OF ME! LET GO OF ME NOW!'

The twins ignored Rukia's protests and dragged her off. A sparkling black Mercedes car was already waiting to drive them back home. An old gentleman in a neat suit opened the passenger door as the twins carried Rukia inside the car. At her final attempt to escape she turned around to the rear window for help. There she saw Byakuya a little away.

'Cheeky-san! Save me!'

* * *

'What do you think of our house, Rukia,' Ashido asked.

It was huge like a palace. It was protected by an electronic gate and it's own security men and guard dogs. There was two metres of garden before you reached the front of the mansion. Inside glistened with shiny chandeliers and silverware. It was just as beautiful as Seireitei High with expensive paintings and huge ceilings. There were maids and butlers too! With both parents as high-earning lawyers the Kurosaki family could afford to buy many luxury items. Rukia was overwhelmed by the incredible wealth. Not even Heaven had such fine things. God, preferred to keep things simple and pure.

'A-Amazing...' she commented.

'Come, Rukia.'

The twins pulled her up the central staircase which then split into two other staircases leading to opposite sides of the mansion. A thick deep red carpet with gold detail snaked across the stairs. It complimented the creamy white banisters and two volutes at the bottom of the steps. They pushed her into one of the guest rooms which were equally as classy as the other rooms of the house. Swiftly, they shut the door and waited outside.

'Oi! What are you doing?' A turn of a key already told her that she was locked in. 'Open this door now!'

'We've already provided you with the perfect Halloween outfit,' Ichigo informed her; totally ignoring her demands.

'Yeah, I picked it especially myself, you know?' his brother added.

'What? I'm not-'

'We'll only let you out if you wear it to our party. Ja!'

'Oi! Open this door now! I'm not wearing it whatever it is. Do you hear me?' She pushed her ear against the door. She banged on the door for a reply.

'Oi!'

She gave up in the end. It was obvious that the boys had left her. Several minutes were spent looking around the room itself. Fresh multicoloured flowers were scattered in oriental vases. Big chest of drawers sat on opposite ends. A tall mirror was pinned to the wall that stretched from the ceiling to the floor with gold oriental detail. At the other end was a four-posted bed. It was an antique made out of top quality oak. It was often carefully polished. The pale green see-through curtains matched with the bed covers.

Something was placed on the bed. Curious as to what it was, she approached the item. Her eyes widened. It was beautiful and in her most favourite colour too.

* * *

Two hours later, the Kurosaki mansion was filled with guests from both magic schools. It was the perfect opportunity for the boys to mingle with the girls. Some students wore fancy dress. Some just wore formal clothing. Maids and butlers weaved around the rooms with silver trays of bite size food and champagne-filled glasses so none of the guests ever went hungry or thirsty. A live band was playing in the background. It was more like an upper-class ball than a teenagers' party. A large number of girls gasped when a particular young man entered the mansion and into the front hall.

'Ulquiorra-sama!'

'Oh, my God he's sooooo handsome!'

'Isn't he just dreamy!'

Ulquiorra looked incredibly dashing in a long white suit that flared out slightly with matching trousers. He wore a dark green waistcoat over his white shirt and a short red silk scarf as a neck tie. He gave his best smile to the girls.

'Good evening ladies.' He paused to take a bow. 'You all look extremely cute tonight.'

Ulquiorra was his charming self as usual. The girls squealed with excitement. They couldn't resist his sweet words. Most girls never could resist him. Some of them fainted. The others tried to get closer to their ideal man. Szayel stepped in to block off their path to Ulquiorra.

'Back off! I won't let any of your dirty hands touch _my_ Prefect-san!' he promised.

The girls shrieked in mild horror since Szayel was wearing a bright pink telephone on the top of his head. You could tell his favourite artist was Lady Gaga. Then another group of girls shrieked in delight this time. Everyone's attention turned over to the hall again.

There, was a prince in his olive green military uniform. All royal members except for females were obliged to join the national army at some point. Byakuya had no intention in going to the Halloween party but he became rather worried for Rukia when the twins kidnapped her. He just had to go to the party. However, there were no fancy dress costumes he could get at the last minute so he put on his uniform instead. Well, there was one Avatar costume left but there was no way that he was going to wear it! It was a good job he didn't. The girls were screaming like fangirls. A dark brown belt went from his left shoulder diagonally across his chest and joined a matching belt that went around his thin waist. His collar and cuffs were black. Several medals were pinned to the right of his chest for his outstanding performance in previous times. The green jacket finished midway down his thigh and was accompanied with black tailored trousers. He also wore his black knee high leather boots. He looked really smart and powerful. There was no doubt about it.

'Byakuya-sama!'

'It's Byakuya-sama!'

'It's really him! Oh, my God!'

'Oh, he's the most gorgeous man in Seireitei!'

'I think I'm getting a nosebleed!' The girls were melting in front of his eyes but he didn't even notice. He was too busy looking for Rukia.

'My, my, Byakuya,' he looked at Ulquiorra,' I thought you were too good for these parties?'

'Don't worry, Prefect-san, I'm not staying.'

'Ah, Byakuya! I didn't think you would turn up.'

Ashido made his way through the mob of fans to get through to his two classmates. Girls were also commenting on how great he looked in a pirate's costume. He had an off-white ruffled shirt which was unbuttoned and most of his naked chest was on display. That was making his fans drool. He had tight black jeans on with his scruffy boots. To complete the look he wore a fake loop earring in one ear and a black bandana with white skulls on which was tied across his forehead.

'Where is Rukia?' Byakuya got straight to the point. He was always trying to avoid the female attention he got.

'Rukia's upstairs changing,' Ichigo answered. 'I've asked Sebastian to bring him down.' Ashido scowled at his brother.

'What's that you're wearing?' he scoffed.

'It's called a Shihakushō. Cool, huh?'

Ichigo smiled as he placed one hand on the back of his head and one on his waist. He wore black robes with a hint of white robes peeking through underneath. There was also a red strap looking like arrows that he wore diagonally over his left shoulder.

'Do I look like a real Shinigami?'

'Ichigo, I think you've been watching too much of Bleach...' his twin muttered.

'What was that, Ash-'

He couldn't finish his sentence. A rupture of gasps and loud whispers interrupted him. The four boys' attention followed to where everyone else was looking towards. They were all in a trance at the figure standing at the top of the central staircase. The boys followed the dazzling creature and made their way to the bottom of the steps like how a moth flew towards the bright light.

* * *

Rukia stood blushing in a long white halter neck dress. The silky satin fabric hugged her figure in a curvaceous way. Real white pearls were hand-sewn on and spread around the dress evenly. She was blushing from all the stares she was receiving and from the large slit along her dress revealing a lot of her leg. But she loved how light it felt and how it trailed on the floor. She was so delighted to see the dress that she tried on immediately. Sebastian made her wear a black wig which looked very similar to her original hair style. A section of her fringe was pulled around her ear and pinned with a white rose. Her earrings had a sparkling diamond at the top and a tear shaped white pearl dangling from it.

All the boys admired how beautiful she looked as she began to walk down the stairs. They even seemed to blush a little too. The boys were all a bit star struck and couldn't move; couldn't find any words to say. She wondered what everyone was thinking and for some reason her eyes went to find Byakuya first. His face was unreadable as usual but she secretly wanted some sort of reaction.

_...your opinion means to the most to me...__  
_  
'Who is she?'

'She's so cute!'

'Is she new?'

'Do you think she's got a boyfriend?'

'A hot girl like that won't be interested in you!'

Byakuya's misty eyes widened with surprise. The beating of his heart quickened the moment he laid eyes on her. Of course he already knew that she was a girl but to see her in girl clothes... He didn't expect her to be _this_ beautiful.

_Did I just say she's beautiful...?_

'Ru-Rukia,' Ashido stuttered while a huge blush coloured his cheeks, 'do... do you like... the dress?'

_Why am I suddenly nervous?__  
_  
'H-Hai,' she whispered and bowed to him. 'Thank you for it.' Now his whole face turned pink.

'N-No... no need to thank me. You look really pretty in that dress-' Rukia gasped at the compliment. Ashido was also shocked himself for suddenly blurting that out.

'I mean you look pretty in that dress for a boy... that is...' He began to laugh nervously.

_What's wrong with me?__  
_  
Most of the male students choked on their food and drink when they discovered that Rukia was actually a boy! Some had to spit out their champagne from the surprise. But most of the girl squealed with excitement at the sight of a beautiful looking boy! They found it rather attractive somehow...

How could a boy possibly look prettier than most of the real girls! Ichigo placed a hand on his brother's shoulder in order to save him. It looked like he was experiencing some sort of panic attack.

'Ashido thought it'd be a good idea if you wore a cosplay outfit for Halloween,' Ichigo explained. 'But I would have gone for then angel outfit.' Rukia nearly lost her footing and stumbled down the stairs. Finally, she reached the bottom.

'Rukia, you look stunning,' Ulquiorra commented.

She just nodded because she didn't know what to say. It was weird because she wasn't sure whether he found her pretty because she was a boy in a dress or was it because she looked more like a girl. It was confusing. Then, Ulquiorra did the unthinkable. He kneeled down on one knee and offered his hand to her. He smiled and shined like Prince Charming.

'Rukia, may I have your first dance of the night?' Not only that she was shocked but everyone else was also shocked. His fangirls gasped and fainted from joy.

'N-No, No, I can't dance,' she declined and waved her hands.

'It's alright.' He took the opportunity to catch her hand and pulled her close to him. 'I can teach you. I can teach you all the moves of the body...' he purred.

'Rukia...' Byakuya whispered. Something inside was telling him to save her.

'Byakuya-sama?' A deep voice interrupted Byakuya from chasing after Rukia.

A tall man stood in a black suit with a white shirt. A black bow tie fixed neatly around his neck. Half his face was covered up by a white mask. This man was dressed up exactly like the Phantom of the Opera except from the long dark red hair of his which was pulled into a ponytail.

'Are we acquainted?' Byakuya still had no clue who the man was.

'Byakuya-sama,' Rengi ignored Byakuya's question, 'My ladyship would very much enjoy a dance with your good self.' Byakuya looked over Renji's shoulder to see a small petite figure. She looked nervous in her pink kimono but Byakuya soon lost interest.

'Unfortunately, I have other matters that require my attention.'

'Hisana-sama is aware how busy Byakuya-sama is and is willing to wait for the entire night.' His eyes twitched.

'Hisana? Kuchiki Hisana?'

'Hai, Byakuya-sama.'

Byakuya was afraid he would say that. Hisana was an adopted cousin. They had never met each other but it was suggested that they would be engaged in the near future. His grandfather, Ginrei, was very fond of her so refusing a dance with her; upsetting her was not a good option.

* * *

Rukia noticed that Byakuya was talking to Hisana but something wriggled inside her. She watched them as they began to dance slowly.

_I see Byakuya has finally met his true love. _

_I should feel happy for him but I... _

_It's as if I feel... sad..._

'What's the matter, Rukia? See something you don't like?' Her head snapped back to look at her dancing partner.

'Huh?'

Ulquiorra's hand slithered down to the curve of her back. He applied a little more pressure to press her more towards him. Rukia was too shocked to say anything. A warm feeling spread across the tops of her cheeks. His piercing emerald eyes were staring at hers directly and ignoring all the excited students around them. The band played a slow romantic piece in the background.

'Our bodies are meant to be closer together,' Ulquiorra advised.

'H-Hai, as... as if to merge with each others?' She bit her lip.

_You could have re-phrased that!_

'Oh, Rukia, I can think of other ways to merge our bodies together,' he suggested in a low playful manner. A small giggle escaped from him when he saw her turn bright red.

_How adorable... _

'Pre-Prefect san?' she stuttered helplessly. She had to focus and change the subject.

'Yes, my dearest?'

_Easier said than done..._

'Wh-What have you dressed up as tonight?'

'Can't you tell?' He flashed a bright smile and revealed his answer. It was only a minor clue but she could definitely see two elongated fangs.

'I'll be your Vampire Knight for the evening,' he offered.

'My Vampire... Knight...?'

'A gentleman vampire who seduces beautiful ladies...' he bent down with his lips hovering over her sensitive flesh, '...and devours her neck.'

Rukia gasped. His hot breath was tickling her skin and giving goosebumps all over her body. She froze up with a warm but weird wave of emotions coarse through her.

_What is this funny feeling I'm experiencing...?  
_  
'First,' he continued, 'he licks at her maiden skin to help numb the pain...' Her violet eyes widened.

_Did I just hear right? He's going to...!_

* * *

'Byakuya-sama?' a feather-soft voice interrupted. He turned back round to face her.

'Am I boring you, Byakuya-sama?' Hisana asked.

'Did I give you that impression?'

'N-No. It's just... Byakuya-sama, you seem to be... looking elsewhere during our entire dance...' she explained shyly. She didn't even dare to look at him in case she had offended him.

'Am I keeping Byakuya-sama from something important?'

Byakuya's eyes widened. He had kept his eyes locked onto Rukia and Ulquiorra; completely ignoring Hisana.

_Why?_

_Why can't I keep my eyes off Rukia?_

Something important...

_Why would Rukia be important...to me...?  
_  
He remained silent; uncertain how to answer her. He just tried to carry on dancing without getting distracted. But as he swirled Hisana around, he caught a horrific glimpse. Ulquiorra was kissing Rukia's neck! No, he was about to! Byakuya's eyebrows knitted together like a scowl. He was developing a new feeling close to dislike. He couldn't quite work out the intense burning feeling inside him.

* * *

The tip of his tongue was only a whisker away when a tall shadow loomed over them. Ulquiorra pulled back to straighten up. Although the prince looked unimpressed, Ulquiorra still managed a chuckle. He thought it was incredibly interesting how the usually cold Byakuya looked annoyed; maybe even jealous...

'Ch-Cheeky-san?' She jerked away from Ulquiorra from embarrassment.

_Again, what's with the stutter?_

Byakuya's face was cold as usual but his eyebrows were still scowling. Still, you had to admit he looked handsome in his military uniform. He just had effortless model looks.

_Wait! Did I just say Cheeky-san is handsome?_

The moment Byakuya caught the blushing look on Rukia his own face softened. Tonight, she looked like an angelic princess. The pure white of her dress suited her innocence perfectly. His palm opened up to Rukia without him realising it. He couldn't stop his actions or his words. It was like his brain and heart were functioning separately.

'May I have the next dance?' Those words escaped from Byakuya's mouth quicker than how he registered them. He had no idea what he was doing or why he was doing it. All he knew that it felt natural.

_It feels... right..._

'You... You may,' she whispered.

Her little fingers curled into his hand and then he gently pulled her away from Ulquiorra. He actually wanted to keep her as far away from Ulquiorra as physically possible. The music changed to a romantic classic duet with the piano and the violin. The two began dancing in silence. Rukia kept her head down. She could hear several whispers but not clear enough to hear the words.

_What am I doing! I'm supposed to be a boy, remember! He must think I'm a homo! I'm in a dress, for God's sake!_

Byakuya tensed up. He slowly realised his mistake. Everyone thought Rukia was a boy. Even Rukia didn't know he already knew of her real identity. He was here to rescue her but why didn't he just take her home? Why did he have to ask her to dance with him instead? Why is she in _his_ arms?

_Maybe I should suggest we head back home..._

'Rukia?' his deep voice asked calmly.

She tilted her head up to look at him. Up close, her feminine features were clearly evident. Her eyes were especially captivating. He was caught in a trance. Her beauty was just bewitching.

* * *

'That sneaky bitch!' Syayel cursed as he threw evil glares at Rukia.

'How dare that bitch steal a dance with_ my _Prefect-san! I'll teach that midget a lesson!'

With one gesture he poured the entire champagne contents from his glass into his throat. He already had too much alcohol but he didn't care. His mind was set on marching straight up to Rukia and ruining her night. His shiny boot stamped on the bottom of her dress.

'What the-'

Rukia felt something tug her backwards when she tried to continue with her dance. It all happened in slow motion after that. Unsure of what was wrong she tried pulling her dress but at the same time Szayel decided to take his foot off the fabric causing her to jerk violently forward. She crashed into Byakuya and they fell to the floor in a heap.

All the girls gasped. Ulquiorra and the twins stared in absolute shock. There, in the middle of the dance floor, Rukia had pinned Byakuya onto the floor. Oh, but that wasn't the most exciting part. Everyone was more interested in how Rukia's lips were squashed against Byakuya's. The two stared at each unable to move and unable to think properly with their lips still locked together. Rukia's face burnt like it was on fire.

_My first kiss!_

Byakuya could feel his heart rate speed up beyond belief. They were actually kissing! KISSING!

_I think I am in __**serious**__ trouble...! _

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Ooh so Byakuya stole Rukia's first kiss! I had this accidental kiss in my head for ages but was waiting for the right moment. Hope you all liked it and especially YuzurihaNoRyuu =p It felt weird writing about Halloween when it's actually the New Year =p But I loved putting Byakuya in his fancy dress! I like a man in uniform! Lol

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm off to our television centre this weekend. Might get to meet some celebrities backstage...maybe =) Please do leave me a review and let me know what you thought about this chapter =) I get more and more motivated with every review. Ja x **


	10. Perfect Timing

**Hey everyone! I finally managed to pinch some time to write another chapter! All your reviews and PMs made me soooooo happy! I loved them all! They all encouraged me to push this chapter out as soon as I could. So here's thanks to: LuciL06, lassa, Fpix, tokiko76, L, SunRises, DRUON, Nathalie Shiffer, silverqueen, vicky73, ai-haibara777, seras3791, Yuniee, YuzurihaNoRyuu, Kiss of Imortality, Allen-holic, DeeathgodIceheart, Nikki-4 and isara-love. And special thanks to evenstar lady for sticking up for us authors that got flamed by pfffft**

**LuciL06: Apologies for the long wait. I hope you like this update too x **

**lassa: I've having a lot of fun with this story so I'm really glad you find it funny too =)**

**DRUON: Yes, it should be a bit awkward but hiopefully in a good way =p I hope you'll enjoy this one too x**

**L: Oh, but I wouldn't find it too difficult to kiss Byakuya again and again lol Rukia is such a lucky girl!**

**silverqueen: I think there's more romantic fluff here which I hope you'll enjoy too x**

**vicky73: I looove your PMs! Sorry I couldn't write 9,990 words as you requested. But there's a bit more progress here. Hopefully, that will it make up to you x**

**seras3791: I don't tend to portray Hisana as a bad person. However, I should be using her to add a little drama for ByaRuki x**

**DeathgodIceheart: Thank you for your lovely compliment! I'll be sure to feature Toshiro in future chapters for you! X**

**isara-love: Thank you again for your lovely message. Don't worry about your English. I understand it perfectly x**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

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Perfect Timing

'Rukia?' No one replied Retsu. She looked up. 'Ashido, is Rukia still ill?'

'Er...' he hesitated. 'H-Hai, sensei,' he eventually replied.

'I see,' she said as she marked a cross next to the angels' name on the register.

Byakuya sneaked a glance to the empty seat on his right. It was the third day of the week and still Rukia was absent. She had not attended any of her classes this week. She claimed it to be because she was ill but Byakuya knew there was more to it. The real reason was because-

'You do know it's your fault Rukia's not in class, right, Byakuya?'

'How is that so?' he retorted at Ulquiorra. The pair darted cold glares at each other between Rukia's empty seat.

'Byakuya, have you apologized to Rukia?' Ashido turned round to ask.

'What do I have to apologize for?' he asked bluntly.

'For taking Rukia's first kiss of course!' Ashido whispered loudly. A little blush crept over him.

'How could you forget!' he exclaimed.

'Aren't you over-reacting a little, Ashido?' his brother asked.

'Huh?' His twin looked puzzled and raised an eyebrow.

'Could you be jealous that it was Byakuya who gave Rukia his first kiss?'

'WHAT! ME? JEALOUS! OF COURSE NOT!' But there was no hiding how red Ashido's face was. It was fuming. Could he really have been jealous?

_I'M NOT A HOMO! _

'Ashido, please remain silent. It makes it rather difficult for me to continue with the register,' Retsu complained in her classic soft tone.

'Gomen,' he offered with a bow.

_The kiss..._

Byakuya took a while to remember how their mouths locked onto one another's; how her lips were so soft; how a spark went through him the moment they kissed. Although it was just an accidental kiss he still couldn't stop thinking about it. He didn't pull away. He waited for Rukia to step away. He thought that was the polite way to deal with it or was it because he wanted the kiss to last as long as possible...? Deep down, did he secretly _enjoy_ the kiss? Did he _want_ the kiss?

_Why would I want the kiss?_

_That would mean..._

'My, my, Byakuya,' Ulquiorra interrupted his thoughts, 'is that a blush you're wearing?'

'Perhaps you're paying too much attention to me lately, Prefect-san,' Byakuya retorted.

'Don't worry, Byakuya. I only have eyes for Rukia.' Byakuya was getting annoyed with the devilish grin the prefect had.

'Prefect-san-'

'Alright,' Retsu began, 'can everyone turn to page 499.' Ulquiorra flicked through the heavy text book with his elegant hands.

'I wonder if there's a spell in here that would allow Rukia to fall madly in love with me...?'

That fire in the pit of Byakuya's stomach was stirring again. That ball of jealousy wriggled inside him more and more.

_Jealousy..._

* * *

'Why won't you eat?'

Rukia pushed a small cabbage leaf towards Chappy. The rabbit sniffed it a few times but then wandered off to a quiet corner in her cage. Rukia sighed.

'Maybe you're ill like me?'

Rukia slumped back into her chair and dropped the vegetable back onto the desk. Rukia sighed again. Something was wrong with her. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't eat. She couldn't focus on her homework. Her heart felt incredibly heavy. All she kept thinking about was...

_My first kiss..._

Her petite fingers rubbed against her soft pink lips. Carefully, she casted her mind back to when the handsome prince kissed her. The warm sensation from his lips still lingered on her skin. A deep blush appeared on the tips of her cheeks just by thinking about the situation. That was the real reason why she couldn't attend her classes. How could she look Byakuya in the eye after that? He never really said anything about it.

_What did he feel...?_

_Does he think about the kiss?_

'BAKA!' she cursed herself. 'He thinks you're a boy! What is he supposed to feel!' She buried her face into her hands.

'Why does he affect me so much! Stupid Cheeky-san! Stupid, stupid Chee-'

'There you are!' Ashido's sudden outburst shocked her quite a bit.

'Wh-What are you guys doing here?' Rukia asked as both twins climbed up to her room.

'We could ask you the same question,' Ichigo asked back.

'Aren't you supposed to be at the second round of auditions?' Rukia lost interest and swirled around with her back facing the twins.

'I'm not going,' she stated plainly.

'Why not?' they both asked.

'Because... Because...'

Of course, part of her couldn't face Byakuya but she didn't see the point in auditioning anymore. It was fun before but now that she's not acting the scene with Byakuya... And for some reason she didn't feeling like watching Byakuya acting out a romantic scene with Hisana. She wasn't sure why but she felt a little sad every time she thought of it.

Ashido gave a twinkle in his eye to his brother who then nodded in return. The boys helped to lift Rukia up by the arms.

'KIDNAP OPERATION BEGINS!' Her eyes filled with shock.

'WHAT! NOT AGAIN! OI!'

They began to drag her off down the stairs but she continued to struggle and kick her feet in the air. This scene was all too familiar. She didn't think she could stomach another night like at their Halloween party!

'OI! WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME!'

'To the audition of course.'

'I don't want to. Let go of me now!'

'Sorry, Rukia, you _belong_ to us now...' Ashido claimed as they pulled her to the assembly hall and completely ignored that she was in her Chappy pyjamas!

* * *

'Here, Matsu-sensei, have another glass,' Szayel suggested.

He sat with her in the assembly hall just before the auditions began and poured more sake into her blue china cup. He filled it to the top; almost spilling out of the cup. He kept doing that for the past 20 minutes and knew she couldn't refuse sake let alone _free_ sake! At this rate she would soon pass out like he planned. Rangiku picked up her drink and threw it into her mouth. She tapped the table a few times roughly.

'More! Give me more!' she demanded. Her blue eyes were already clouded with dizziness. What a drunk.

'Sensei, would you prefer to drink from the bottle instead?' he suggested.

'Good idea!'

Her eyes dazzled with excitement. Swiftly, her hands went to whisk the porcelain bottle out of Szayel's grasp and devoured the contents. He grinned wildly as he watched Rangiku fall easily into his trap. After a few sways from side to side she collapsed onto her table. Dribbles of saliva began to leak out and cover her paperwork. As she fell unconscious she let go the porcelain bottle which rolled along the table and eventually cracked onto the wooden flooring.

'Well that was easy.'

She began to snore in a deep sleep. Szayel took this perfect opportunity to fiddle with audition list. Quickly, he rushed through the scattered papers and then found the list. There it was. His beloved prefect was paired with Rukia for the second auditions. That mild anger began to burn inside him again.

'There's no way I'm letting that bloody midget anywhere near _my_ Prefect-san!' he spat and took a pen to scratch out Rukia's name.

* * *

Rukia managed to wriggle free from Ichigo but Ashido soon picked her by the waist and perched her over his shoulder. Her legs kept waving about in protest.

'OI! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!'

'Well, would you prefer if I carried you in my arms bridal style!' Ashido offered.

'Eh...' she blushed furiously and even stopped struggling from the embarrassment. Ichigo shook his head.

'Only in your dreams, Ashido,' he muttered.

'Ha? Why would Rukia be in my dreams?'

'Why do you think?' Ashido blushed and refused to answer his brother. Ichigo shook his head again in disbelief.

_Does he really not know? _

_Does he not realise he's been slowly changing for..._

They eventually reached the assembly hall that was already filled with students from both schools. The students had their scripts in their hands and were busy doing some last minute revising. It was heaved with noise. Many of the fangirls decided to audition since Byakuya and Ulquiorra were also there. And many of the other male were there; hoping to talk to the girls and possibly star with them in the play eventually. Others were there purely because it was going to be quite a big production. It was rumoured that the play will be held at the Royal Anvil Theatre. It could sit an audience of 1,000 people. The SS group were in the middle of discussing with the theatre about cheaper production costs and that all the proceeds of the ticket sales would be donated to the schools. Nothing had been agreed yet but all the students were already very excited. The girls started to whisper loudly at the sight of Rukia entering the hall.

'Look, look, it's the bishōnen!'

'He's even getting a piggy-back ride on Ashido-kun! How adorable!'

'He's actually really cute like a girl!' Rukia frowned.

_I __**am**__ a freaking girl! God, with all this gender confusion even I'm starting to think I am a boy!_

'Can-Can you put me down now?' she blushed; finding it uncomfortable that the entire room was looking at them.

'Ah, gomen.' He hurried to place her dainty feet back onto the ground.

'Rukia, you finally turned up,' Ulquiorra asked.

'Prefect-san?'

'I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever see you again. We can't have you disappearing again.' He flashed a soft smile.

'I...'

'If I remembered correctly, this was just an audition,' Byakuya interrupted from behind. His fangirls gasped excitement.

'It's Byakuya-sama!' the girls all screamed.

Rukia's violet eyes lifted immediately towards the deep voice. Her face blushed pink. Their last meeting flashed before her eyes once more.

_BAKA! Why are you thinking about that stupid kiss again!_

'It puzzles me that you have turned up dressed in a white suit,' Byakuya continued. Ulquiorra smiled and placed a gentle arm around Rukia.

'Well I am auditioning with dear Rukia so naturally I have to dress nicely to match Rukia's beauty.' Rukia thought she was going to die of embarrassment.

'However, I am slightly disappointed.' He gazed directly into Rukia's eyes.

'I was half hoping you would turn up in that lovely white dress.' Her eyes bulged wide.

_What did he say! He wants me in a dress! I'm supposed to be a boy! Do you like boys or do you like girls! Make your mind up!_

'Rukia looks perfectly fine with or without the dress...'

Byakuya's words trailed off when he noticed what he just said. He wasn't supposed to say that; not out loud anyway. Why couldn't he stop himself from blurting out that compliment? She blinked her eyes rapidly at him.

_Did he just say..._

_... I'm perfect_

Her lips pressed together as she shied away from his glances. Her lips almost curved into a smile but she did her best to hide it. For some unexplained reason, his words made Rukia secretly happy; delighted. She even tasted a little sweetness.

_Cheeky-san said I looked perfect..._

'Byakuya, don't you have something to say to Rukia?' Ashido suggested.

'Do I?' the prince coldly replied.

'Tell him you're sorry you stole his first kiss.'

'You do realise that Rukia fell on top of me?'

'So?'

'So, to be accurate, _Rukia_ stole _my_ first kiss...' Byakuya froze up. He wasn't supposed to admit to that.

'I stole Cheeky-san's first kiss?' Rukia asked in surprise. Byakuya cleared his throat.

'Maybe...' Rukia bit her lip trying not to reveal her smile.

_I gave Cheeky-san his __**first**__ kiss..._

_That seems to make me very... happy..._

'Oi! Oi! Everyone should line up with their pairs now! The auditions are about to begin!'

Rangiku's voice echoed all over. The sake only managed to keep her asleep for about 20 minutes. It was like her body was getting more and more immune to it. No alcohol was strong enough to knock her out for long. The students rushed around to get into some sort of order.

'Let's see,' Rangiku pondered as she did her best to focus on the audition list in her shaking hand.

'Mmm... Byakuya and Rukia you're both up first.' Rukia was definitely surprised. She was so certain that she had paired him with Hisana.

'Matsu-sensei, I am sure you are mistaken. Rukia is auditioning with me today,' Ulquiorra corrected.

'Are you trying to say that you know better than me?' The English teacher gave her threatening tone. Even Ulquiorra was scared of her.

'Not exactly...'

''Good, then that's settled.' Her smile was back on her face. How her emotions could change in such an extreme way in such a short time was already scary. She looked over at Byakuya and Rukia.

'You two should get ready now.'

'But-'

'But what, Rukia? Would you rather have detention?' Rangiku cocked an eyebrow. Rukia dared not go against her wishes.

'Nothing...' she whispered.

_God, you must be laughing at me...!_

* * *

Despite all Rukia's effort with her match-making, she still ended up being with Byakuya. She still ended up in a romantic scene with him. Here, in a Victorian pale green dress, she sat on a chair pretending to be reading at a study table when Byakuya entered the room in a rushed manner as Mr Darcy.

'Miss Elizabeth,' he referred to Rukia, 'I heard that you were taken ill. Are you in good health?'

'Mr Darcy,' Rukia stood up and bowed to him, 'yes, I am making a speedy recovery.'

'Thank goodness,' he said with a smile and sat down on the sofa and stared blankly at her for a few moments.

'Miss Elizabeth...' He hesitated.

'Mr Darcy?'

Byakuya stared at her for a long time before he eventually got up to walk around the room. After a minute of silence, he came towards Rukia and appeared nervous.

'I...' Byakuya paused. 'In vain I have struggled with my feelings. They will not be denied any more. I ask of you to end my agony; my pain.'

One of his hands went to caress Rukia's cheek and gazed right into her beautiful eyes. That lovely violet ocean was so hypnotic; like you could admire them all day. Both their hearts were beating rapidly at the intimate touch. They were standing so close; so dangerously close to each other.

'I don't understand...' Rukia continued.

'Please allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you...'

_Love..._

Rukia almost gasped out loud. She clearly had a huge blush on her face. She knew this was just part of the play but why did it seem so real? Why did it affect her so much? Could it be that she _wanted_ it to be real? Could it be that she actually wanted Byakuya to feel that way for her?

_But that would mean I..._

Byakuya could hear his own heart pounding like it wanted to push its way out of his body. He was always cold to others and used icy words towards them. He never really spoke such intimate language but why did those words just roll off his tongue so easily? It was as if he was speaking his mind. It was as if he was simply speaking of his true inner feelings.

_Am I truly in love with you...?_

All these weird but wonderful emotions fluttered within him. For some unexplained reason, his eyes fell onto her mouth. He quickly looked into her eyes and she was also looking up towards his lips. His body moved on its own and inched slowly closer to her. They were so close now they could both feel each other's hot breath. And in that last moment they closed their eyes to ki-

'CUT!'

The pair flicked open their eyes immediately. Rukia jerked out from Byakuya's hold as soon as she noticed what they were doing; or what they were _about_ to do. Her heart thumped hard and she felt incredibly dizzy. Was she about to faint? Of course she was panicking. She almost kissed Byakuya! AGAIN!

_What the Hell am I doing!_

Byakuya couldn't keep his eyes off her. In that dreadful moment he was actually about to kiss her! Somebody shouted at them in time before he did the unthinkable and forced himself on her. And yet...

_Why? Why do I feel... disappointed?_

_Why did I even try to..._

The first kiss was an _accident_ but this kiss...

* * *

'CUT!'

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to Ulquiorra. Of course he couldn't just stand there and watch Byakuya steal _another_ kiss from Rukia! Not if he could help it!

What was also surprising was that Ulquiorra wasn't the only one who yelled out. Ashido even surprised himself at how he raised his voice all of a sudden. His face blushed with embarrassment for his behaviour. He and Ulquiorra looked at each other in disbelief and mild shock. Obviously, Ulquiorra was jealous but what about Ashido? Why did he stop the kiss too? Did it mean he was jealous too?

_But that would mean I'm attracted to... to Rukia? _

_How could that be? Rukia is a boy!_

_I'm NOT a homo!_

_But... _

_The idea of Rukia kissing someone else..._

'WHAT THE HELL!' Rangiku yelled and threw a book at the boys. Ashido held his hands up to apologize for his outburst.

'Gomen, gomen, Matsu-sensei, I-'

'WHY ON EARTH DID YOU CUT THE SCENE! WHO DO YOU THINK THE TEACHER IS HERE!' Ashido shut his eyes tightly. She was in her scary violent mode again. It was unsightly.

'Matsu-sensei, shouldn't you be telling Byakuya off? There was no kiss scene in this act. He deliberately changed the contents of your work, sensei,' the prefect commented.

'Eh?' She checked the script once over. 'Mmm... so there really is no kiss...'

'Does that not deserve a detention, sensei?' Ulquiorra suggested. Clearly, Byakuya had annoyed the prefect. Rangiku looked up and pouted while she thought for a while.

'Well...'

'My apologies, sensei,' Byakuya interrupted. 'I changed the content without your permission. Please forgive me. I don't know what overcame me.' He bowed to her and the audience.

'Oh, what the hell. I liked it so no apology or detention is required,' Rangiku commented. 'And welldone, Rukia. You played Elizabeth very well.'

'A-Arigatou.' Rukia bowed and tried her hardest not to look at Byakuya. She tried to ignore how badly her body was shaking. It was a wonder how she would have reacted if they really did kiss!

'I think you and Byakuya are a _perfect_ match. So, consider the lead roles yours. Maybe I should add a few more kisses in the script...'

All the fangirls ran onto the stage to congratulate the pair on their success. The crowd was so huge it managed to pull Byakuya and Rukia away from each other.

'Rukia-kun, you were so cute! Can I have your autograph?'

'Yes, Rukia-kun, please sign my uniform!' A girl pushed her chest into her face.

'Hai?' Rukia didn't understand.

'Rukia-kun, do you have a girlfriend?'

'Eh...' Now that was embarrassing for her.

'What kind of girls do you like?'

'I... I... er...'

_God, save me! Is everyone gay here!_

The group of girls at the other end were just as crazy. They were all screaming and fainting but the prince had his eyes solely on Rukia.

'Congratulations, Byakuya-sama. You gave a wonderful performance,' Hisana complimented in her trademark sweet voice but Byakuya paid no heed to it.

'Byakuya-sama?' Her eyes followed his over to Rukia; the one who accidently kissed Byakuya at the Halloween party. Hisana spotted something mysterious in the prince's eyes.

_If only you could look at me like that. If only for one moment..._

Something inside Byakuya wriggled around and he was beginning to recognise what it was.

_Am I'm falling for you...?_

* * *

'Oh, God! Why did I yell out like that!' Ashido asked out loud and flopped onto his bed. His face buried deep into the fluffy pillow.

'O, beware, my lord, of jealousy. It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on,' Ichigo quoted from William Shakespeare's Othello.

'For the 100th time, Ichigo, I am NOT jealous!'

If you say so, brother.' His twin was obviously not convinced. Ashido sat up straight.

'I like _girls_, okay? I looooove girls. I'm a _normal_ boy. I'll even prove it.' Ichigo lifted a puzzled eyebrow as if to challenge the proof of evidence.

* * *

'How does _this_ exactly prove anything!' Ichigo asked.

'Mmm... yes!'

'You like that, baby?' Yes, Ashido decided to watch an online porn movie to prove his sexuality!

'I like heterosexual porn not homo porn. That proves I like girls _not_ boys!' he protested. Ichigo shook his head not knowing where to look. Both actors were moaning in pleasure.

'What is the meaning of this?' a deep voice asked.

'Ah, Byakuya, you're just in time for this new movie. It's called 'Pleasure Island'. You fancy joining us? I have popcorn ready.'

Ashido waved a box full of the toffee flavoured snack towards him. Despite the fact that the screen was clearly showing a couple having sex on a beach Byakuya still remained emotionless.

'What you choose to do in your own leisure time is not my concern but why must you use _my_ laptop to watch this filth?' Byakuya demanded.

'You have a bigger screen than mine,' Ashido stated plainly like it was a normal thing to do!

'Is something wrong?' The petite girl appeared from nowhere. Byakuya turned round in a shocked manner.

'Uh! Harder! Harder!' Rukia went to peer around Byakuya whose body was in the way of the screen.

'What are you watching?' she asked innocently. She managed she walk in on them on at the worst possible time. Ashido hastily closed the laptop shut.

'If you don't feel anything then why did you turn off the porn as soon as Rukia turns up?' Ichigo mocked.

'Shut up!'

In a flash, Byakuya walked up close to her and shielded the screen from her with his body. He quickly placed his hands over her little ears preventing her from hearing the dirty content. He couldn't let Rukia take a single glimpse of the porn. What if she thought he was watching it! What would she think of him!

'It's nothing,' Byakuya insisted.

Their bodies were so close again. Her head was close to his heart and she could hear the smooth beating rhythm. The warmth of his body and accidental embrace was making her blush again.

'Chee...Cheeky-san?'

Slowly, he looked at her directly. That fluttering feeling returned to him again with this petite cute looking darling in his arms. How could he deny it any longer?

_Please allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you..._

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**Awww I nearly had them kissing again! I'm mean, aren't I! Well, at least Byakuya is realising his feelings for our little angel =) Most of the lines in the audition scene was from the actual book which I thought was great to use for more ByaRuki-ness. I held back telling you about Ashido's attraction to Rukia but some of you noticed it anyway =p**

Just to let you know that '**bishōnen' roughly means 'pretty boy'.**** Anyway, hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review and let me know what you think of this update. Ja x**


	11. Gender Matters

**Hey people! A month later and I'm finally back with an update. Sorry I took so long but I was a little poorly with an eye infection. It wasn't too serious but I decided to rest as much as I could. Okay, enough with the excuses, hopefully, this chapter will make up for the wait! I have to thank all my reviewers and PMs: SunRises, vicky73, isara-love, LuciL06, seras3791, ai-haibara777, DRUON, Nikki-4, YuzurihaNoRyuu, L, silverqueen, Sherry-Chan141, DeathgodIceheart and tokiko76. Each one of them really brightened up my day! Love you all! X **

**vicky73: Thank you for your get well wishes x I took more time off than I first intended =p**

**isara-love: Thank you, again, for your lovely review! And yes, I based the Kurosaki twins on Hikaru and Kaoru in Ouran High School Host Club. I love that anime! =) **

**LuciL06: Yes! Rukia is such a lucky girl! I wouldn't mind being in her shoes! Sorry, I couldn't update for Valentines' Day but I did get inspiration for a nice ByaRuki chapter though =p Thank you for your lovely comment! **

**seras3791: Szayel's jealousy does seem to keep bringing ByaRuki together which is all good! But what was most important was that Byakuya **_**wanted**_** to kiss our little Rukia (squeal!)**

**L: Thank you! I've finally made up my mind on the entire cast and I believe there may be a few side pairings. But of course they won't steal the main show from our lovely ByaRuki =p I'll be bringing in some girls into the scene because I began to feel this story was getting a bit too 'homo' lol**_**wanted**_** to kiss her. I guess he was just lost in the moment! =p**

**silverqueen: Your lovely compliment made me really happy! I loved the near kiss too even though it didn't happen because Byakuya actually**

**Sherry-Chan141: Thanks for your reviews for both my stories. Unfortunately, I'm lacking the motivation to write anymore on A Hunger For You but don't worry I'm still sticking with Cupids =p**

**DeathgodIceheart: Yes, I totally agree with you about the 'almost kiss'! It was my favourite part of the chapter =p I really wanted to stress that Ashido wasn't gay but I ended up talking about porn! lol That's the pervert inside me desperately trying to break free lol**

**tokiko76: I really liked the colour =) But I absolutely looooooved the vampire Byakuya pic more though! Lol x**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

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Gender Matters

'Huh...' Renji deeply sighed.

He was sat looking like Rukia at a table covered with mountains of paperwork. Cupid usually sent out angels to investigate certain humans. They would find out information to determine what kind of a person they were and match them with someone compatible. Rukia's job was to gather all the information and sort them into order and pick out relevant useful information. Cupid would then use this information to pair humans up with people they were most likely to be happily in love with.

'Why is there always so much work to do!' he moaned.

'Is something bothering you?' Cupid asked as he walked into the room without making a sound. It caught Renji off guard.

'Eh... Cupid-sama...' He immediately pushed his kneecaps together to sit more ladylike.

_Shit! Stay calm!_

Cupid smiled and made his way over to Renji. With a swift of a finger, he pushed Rukia's bang to the side. Renji's eyes widened.

'Don't you usually wear your fringe to the right and not the left, Rukia?'

'Huh? H-Hai...?'

_Oh, crap! I totally forgot! _

'Unless...' Cupid paused to stare seriously at Renji. 'Unless you're not the _real_ Rukia...'

There was a few seconds of silence which seemed to last for years. You could hear a pin drop it was so quiet. Renji did his best to stay calm but inside he was screaming. His heart even skipped a whole beat. Cupid chuckled to himself.

'I'm only joking,' he said and giggled some more.

'But I have noticed you've been absent from your office now and again, Rukia. I hope you're not sneaking off the human world.' He chuckled some more.

'Huh? N-No, of course not, Cupid-sama. I'm not stupid,' Renji replied and laughed nervously with Cupid.

'Well, anyway, I have some more files for you.'

'_More_ files!' Renji moaned. There was just not enough hours in the day to finish all this work!

'I know, I know. It's enough to keep you locked up in this office for a few weeks but it's quite an important case. I can't trust anyone else with it but you.' Renji frowned.

'It must be someone _really_ important.' Cupid nodded.

'Yes, it's actually another angel.' Renji's brown eyes widened.

'We match-make other angels too?' he asked in surprise.

'Of course! Us angels can find true love as well...' Cupid smiled and patted Renji's head gently.

'Rukia, even you deserve to find love too...'

* * *

'What are you two doing following me!' Rukia demanded from the twins. She clutched firmly onto her orange juice as her little feet tried walking faster, hoping to lose them through the hallway.

'No we're not,' Ashido protested as his footsteps quickened enough to walk just ahead of her by a margin.

'_You're_ following _us_,' Ichigo corrected.

'Is that so?'

Rukia challenged and picked up her speed. She poked her tongue out at them as she marched, failing to notice the little grins on their devilish faces. They were fast approaching the assembly hall when-

BONK!

'Ouch!'

The two brothers sniggered as they watched Rukia crash into Toshiro and pour orange juice all down his back. His white shirt was stained yellow from it. He scowled as he turned round to face whoever hit him. He had such a bad day he felt like taking it out on whichever pupil happened to cross him.

'Watch the Hell you're go-' His words were cut off when he saw it was the new student. Rukia gasped and quickly went to bow towards him.

'Oh, gomenasai! Honto ni gomenasai! I'll pay for cleaning it,' she offered.

'Come on, Ashido, we'll be late for the cast meeting,' Ichigo reminded. Ashido nodded and they both poked their tongues out at Rukia. Sure, they were poking fun at her again.

'Teme...' she whispered.

'That sort of language is not tolerated here,' Toshiro stated bluntly. I shall be reporting it to your prefect.' She frowned. This guy looked like an innocent kid but he sure wasn't friendly.

'Hai...' was all she could say to that. Toshiro took another look at his back.

'Tck.'

The sticky fluid soaked through the fabric and onto his skin. It definitely felt uncomfortable. How embarrassing for a prefect to walk around with a dirty uniform. He sighed before tugging his red neck tie off and threw it at her.

'Hold that.'

'Hai?'

Soon, she went from being puzzled to being embarrassed as Toshiro undid his buttons and climbed out of his shirt. His smooth naked chest was in full view as he rolled up his shirt and wiped the juice off his back. He actually had a nice set of muscles but not too bulky. Rukia's face was burning. If she wasn't holding onto his neck tie she would have made a run for it. Then Ulquiorra decided to walk down the corridor.

'My, my, Toshiro, I hope you're not flirting with my Rukia,' he warned in a playful manner. Rukia blinked her eyes faster.

_Did he just say '__**my**__ Rukia'? When did I suddenly__**belong**__to him!  
_  
'Give me your shirt,' Toshiro ordered and ignored Ulquiorra's comment.

'Huh? My what?'

'I'm going to wear your shirt.' Note that it wasn't a question. So, Rukia didn't have a choice.

'B-But... Can't you just get another one from your room or something?'

'It's not appropriate for a respectable prefect to go walking around the school half naked. Since it was _you_ who spilt juice on me I think it's only fair that you give me your shirt in replacement, right?'

'But then _I'll_ be naked!' She blushed furiously. Rukia's mind was doing somersaults. Was this the day when her true sexuality was revealed?

'Prefect-san, may be _you_ could borrow him your shirt?' Ulquiorra grinned.

'Naughty little Rukia. If you wanted to see my naked body you could have just asked me straight out,' he purred. 'I'll do anything to you.'

'Huh?'

'Or did I mean I'll do anything _for_ you?' Rukia couldn't stop burning red.

'But I must admit, I've been longing to get a look at that lovely chest of yours,' Ulquiorra confessed with a husky voice. Just when Rukia thought things were going bad it got worse when Ulquiorra's eyes stared at her chest.

_Can he see my breasts? No, that's impossible!_

'I bet it's silky smooth just like in my dreams.'

_You fantasize about me!_

'Here, let me help you out of it,' Ulquiorra offered and went to loosen her neck tie.

_Oh, my God! Save me! Someone! Anyone!_

'Rukia, you are late for the cast meeting,' Byakuya interrupted. He had wondered why Rukia had not turned up and came out of the assembly hall to look for her.

'Ch'Cheeky-san! Hai! The casting meeting!'

_God, am I happy to see you!_

She jerked away from Ulquiorra's hands that were snaking around her neck and ran inside the hall.

_Maybe it was a good idea to join the play after all!  
_

Byakuya and Ulquiorra exchanged cold looks before the prince abandoned them.

'Ulquiorra...' Toshiro's voice dragged the name like he was telling him off.

'I know... I'm just having some fun...'

* * *

'Ah, finally, you're here!' Rangiku announced when Ulquiorra sat down with the rest of the cast. Toshiro had to go to his dorm chambers to change. The chairs were arranged in a circle so everyone could see each other. Rangiku handed a script to the prefect with his name and role on it. It was a tailored script containing only the scenes that the characters appeared in.

'Matsu-sensei, there must be a mistake. I thought I auditioned for Mr Darcy's role?' Ulquiorra questioned.

'Yes, you did but I thought Byakuya and Rukia make a cuter couple.

'But-'

'Prefect-san! Oh, you're here too! How wonderful!' Szayel came rushing over to sit next to his Mr. Perfect. Ulquiorra just smiled politely and tried to ignore him the best he could.

'Right, I think we should go round introducing yourselves and your role. For some of you today may be the first time meeting one another so this would be a great way to know each other.' Rangiku turned to the Prince.

'Let's start off with Byakuya.'

There was silence as Byakuya flicked through the pages one after the other. Clearly he hadn't heard his teacher's instructions. But he did distinctively remember Rangiku mentioning about a kiss between him and Rukia. Where was it? How many kisses were there? How deep was-

_Why am I so concerned with the kiss! _

_It's like I'm looking forward to it...!_

_A kiss between me and Rukia..._

Byakuya's grey eyes lifted towards Rukia who was sitting at the opposite end to him. She was busy reading her script and suddenly beamed with a dazzling smile. He could feel his heart flutter simply by looking at her. She was the only reason why he was still taking part in the play.

_Just to be close to you..._

_Rukia, do you have any idea how much I've fallen for you?_

And as if she heard his deepest thoughts; his confession, she looked up, eyes twinkling bright. He quickly diverted his eyes elsewhere but he already knew it was useless. She had caught him gazing at her... in her _male_ identity.

_She'll think I'm a homo..._

* * *

Soft fingers went to turn the pages near the end of the script. There, she found one of the most romantic scenes with her and Byakuya. And as promised by Rangiku, a kiss was slipped into the play. Rukia was delighted by the fact and her lips curved into a loving smile. In that moment, she had the urge to look at him. Her eyes widened when she discovered that Byakuya was already looking at her. Or was he?

_BAKA! Of course he wasn't secretly looking at you! _

_You're a __boy__ remember! Or do you want to turn Cheeky-san gay!_

She shook away her thoughts but still couldn't budge that kissing scene. She kept repeating to herself it was for the play but deep down she knew that wasn't the whole story. In truth, she could have refused the scene yet she didn't do such a thing. Why?

_Do I secretly __want __to kiss Cheeky-san... again...?_

_Does that mean... _

_I'm in love..._

_...with Cheeky-san...?_

* * *

Ashido peered over her shoulder to see what she was smiling about. Was it something funny? Was it something important? His eyes widened.

'Hah! Sensei, why is there a kiss there!' he demanded out of the blue.

'What's that?' his teacher asked with a puzzled look.

'Matsu-sensei, I thought you were joking about the kiss scene between Rukia and Byakuya.' Rangiku cocked an eyebrow. How daring he was to question on _her_ literature.

'What? Why is it a problem?' Ashido could tell her voice was coated with a subtle layer of threat. Was he brave enough to say it?

'Eh... well...' He began to panic and scratched the side of his head.

'I mean... There wasn't, well, I _think_ there wasn't a kiss scene in the novel. So...'

'So what if there wasn't?' She retorted flatly.

'This is _my_ adaptation. I can do whatever the Hell I like with it!' Ashido looked sheepishly small, sweating at the sound of Rangiku's loud voice.

'Hai...' He shrunk back into his seat.

'Jealous about the kiss, huh?' Ichigo asked.

'Shut up! I'm not a ho-'

'Why are you so hung up on that?' Ichigo asked, frowning with puzzlement.

'Huh?'

'Laws of attraction are not based on sexuality,' Ichigo protested. He didn't care if his brother was gay or not. It wouldn't change him as a person, something he wanted his brother to understand.

'Of course sexuality has nothing to do with it,' Szayel agreed who was sitting next to him.

'Our genes react to smell and we are naturally attracted to those who are more diverse to us so that our children will have a stronger DNA make-up,' he continued. 'That's why they say 'opposites attract'.'

'I have no idea what you're talking about. For Rukia to be the opposite of me he would have to be a girl-'

Rukia panicked a little. She only caught the end of the conversation but it was enough to send her mind into a frenzy. Did someone discover her true identity?

'Baka! What am I talking about!' Ashido scoulded himself. He forced himself to calm down. Okay, he did over-react about the kiss but he knew he wasn't gay. His eyes lifted towards Szayel again.

_I mean if I'm gay I should find Szayel attractive... YUCK!__  
_  
'I think I'm gonna be sick...' He muttered and bent his head down. His body curled towards his lap.

'Oi! Ashido, you've turned blue. Are you alright?'

Rukia placed a comforting hand over his back. He raised his head towards her. Her touch gave him tingles to where he couldn't pinpoint. But he was sure that his heart was racing and his face was blushing. That could only have meant-

'ARGH! I CAN'T TAKE MUCH MORE OF THIS!'

And he ran out the hallway; ignoring everyone; ignoring even his teacher's threats; his heart pounding violently against his chest. It was only the slightest of touches; an innocent touch from Rukia but...

_Why do I feel __weird__ whenever Rukia touches me? __  
_

* * *

'Oi! How am I supposed to take your picture when you keep moving!' Rangiku yelled.

After the introductions, she had asked the entire cast to go change into their characters' clothes for costume fitting. She then found it a good idea to take photos of everyone. Hopefully, each character would generate their own fandom and the school could sell fan merchandise to help raise awareness and funds for the school.

Szayel was sitting on a wooden chair on the stage posing in a purple silk dress with heavy layers all over. He was wearing a huge grey wig and an incredibly pale make-up. He kept playing with his dress and hair, clearly annoyed about it all.

'Why did you cast me as Lady Catherine!' Szayel hissed.

'I wanted to be Jane. She's beautiful, sweet, kind, everything that I am.' He went to push his wig in a straighter position but he pushed it off to the other side instead. That was it for him.

'Oh, I bloody hate this wig! I hate this hag of a character!' he whaled.

'Here, let me,' Hisana whispered gently. Her small delicate fingers lifted his wig and fitted it properly over his head.

'There is a thin line of glue substance along the edges which will help to keep the wig in place,' she explained in her softest tone.

'All you need to do is press along it and it will stick to your forehead.' She smiled as Szayel seemed to have calmed down.

'Please don't do that again,' he said flatly and turned towards the camera again. 'I feel violated when a woman touches me.' Hisana still smiled at him. It was in her nature to be kind to everyone. Plus, she had to get along with Szayel since she was now playing his daughter in the play.

'Okay! That was good. Now for the next pair! Byakuya! Rukia!' their teacher ordered.

Szayel hurried off to rip out of the costume but Hisana waited in the curtain wings. She had longed to meet Byakuya again. Although she somehow got to dance with him at Halloween but she still wanted more; more of him. Initially, she planned to become Byakuya's love interest in the play, hoping that it would bring them closer. But she didn't give up when she wasn't given the female lead role. She agreed to take part. She would then get to spend more time with him. At least, that was what she first thought. Sometimes, other things, other people tend to get in the way of one's plans.

Byakuya strolled onto the stage in a well-fitted long dark blue coat over his spotless white shirt. His legs looked long and lean in black trousers and black leather knee high boots. Rukia quickly followed his footsteps in a light green cotton dress. Her hair was scraped back into a loose bun and the make-up artist back-stage insisted she'd wear some make-up.

Rukia looked so much like a girl that Byakuya had trouble looking away. He knew he shouldn't have but he couldn't help take a few sneaky peeks at her; hoping she didn't notice. Beautiful, that's what she was. At the very least he could admit that to himself.

'Come on, you two, get closer to one another!' Rangiku suggested.

There was about 3 feet of a gap between the Byakuya and Rukia. They suddenly had turned shy around each other like strangers. That didn't help when Rangiku was trying to keep them in the same camera frame! They gradually side-stepped closer together. Rukia offered a shy smile to Byakuya.

_God, he looks handsome... No wait! I shouldn't be saying that!_

Rangiku took a few photos but pouted, still not entirely satisfied. She patted her lovely lips with her finger tip.

'Mmm... Something's missing... Oh, I know! Rukia!' She picked up a gold silk neck tie and chucked it over to her student. Surprisingly, she managed to catch it with ease.

'Tie that round Byakuya's neck for us. It would complete his look to perfection.' Rukia's lips twitched.

_Cheeky-san __**is **__perfect... _

She turned round and stared at him, waiting for him to give her permission. He nodded without any hesitation and bowed down slightly towards her so she could access his neck easily. He knew he could have offered to tie it himself but he wanted her to do it; to get closer; to touch him...

'Excuse me,' she offered.

Her hands lifted his shirt collar upwards. As she hooked the neck tie around him neck she pulled the ends closer to begin twisting it into a knot. Byakuya took this perfect opportunity to gaze at Rukia but it caught her attention. For a few moments they locked their eyesight on each other. They were just soooooo close. It was close enough to hear their heartbeats; their quick breaths. Both students were feeling the tension. Rukia's face grew pink.

An uncomfortable twist appeared inside Hisana as she discovered the complex emotions swimming inside Byakuya's misty eyes. Was it longing? Was it admiration? Or was it... love? Hisana didn't want to dwell on the subject for any longer and turned around to depart.

_Who am I to be jealous anyway? _

_I am nobody special to Byakuya-sama. _

_I know that very well but this sadness inside me still persists..._

She took another look at Byakuya. Her jewelled hairpin dazzled in the light and flicked over to Rukia capturing her attention. Rukia instantly noticed the upset in Hisana's eyes. Hisana; the true love of Kuchiki Byakuya. It once again dawned on Rukia what her position was. Here was another opportunity open for her. And just as Hisana was in the middle of leaving-

'Hisana,' Rukia called out. It surprised Byakuya as well as Hisana and he looked over.

'Would you like to join us?' Those words escaped from Rukia's mouth before she could regret about them.

'I...' Hisana hesitated and looked at him for permission. 'Byakuya-sama...?'

'As you wish,' he offered. It wasn't like he could deny her given her connection to his family. Plus, he didn't want to spoil Rukia's mood.

'Arigatou,' she whispered sweetly and walked slowly towards them. She pressed closer to Byakuya to fit into the picture.

'Oh, I just need to use the toilet. Take the photo shoot without me,' Rukia blurted out. Byakuya felt she was acting a little strange.

'Rukia-'

'Ja.'

And before Byakuya could breathe another word she had already ran off. Rukia took off fast, never looked back, too afraid. If she looked into Byakuya's eyes she wouldn't be able to leave him. Or was it because she knew that they actually looked good together; that...

_They are __**meant**__ to be together..._

* * *

'Rukia! Hurry up! I'm bursting!' Ashido yelled as he banged on the bathroom door. He desperately needed a pee but Rukia was still taking a shower. More than half an hour went by and he was still waiting. He couldn't wait any longer!

_Rukia sure does use the bathroom longer than a __normal __boy...__  
_  
'Hang on!' a muffled voice echoed through the door.

'Hurry up!'

He banged on the door a few more times but suddenly stopped when the lights began to flicker. A strange buzzing noise came from the bulbs but the lights soon returned to normal again. The heavy storm outside continued to roar violently with thunder and lightning.

'Mmm... strange... The lights were walking fine before...'

Sharply, the lock to the bathroom clicked open. A warm fog escaped fast and into the room. Ashido's cheeks blushed a bit when he saw Rukia's rosy complexion; hair hanging wild and loose; and face slightly moist with sweat. The image was a little cute, tempting even.

_Tempting! What the Hell am I thinking!_

He shrugged off his lapse of judgement. With one swift he grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the room. His bladder couldn't withhold it any longer. He marched straight to the toilet and pulled down his pants. Rukia couldn't believe he was showing off his naked bum to her!

'BAKA! Why don't you bloody close the door!' Tightly, she held her eyes closed.

'No time!'

'BAKA!' She waved her hands around; desperately trying to find the door handle and close the door.

'Rukia, did you use the toilet?' he suddenly asked, eyes frowning.

'So what if I did!' Still she was unable to locate the handle.

'Then why did you leave the toilet seat down?'

_Shit! Of course! Boys lift the seat up to urinate. How could I forget that...!__  
_  
'I...'

'You're not secretly a girl, are you?' he joked.

_Don't panic! Don't panic! Don't panic! Say something! Say anything!_

'I went for a poo, alright!' she yelled and slammed the door shut. 'Tck.'

She stared down at her clothes and instantly remembered she had left her protective cardboard inside. The picture was clear in her mind. The cardboard and tape were sitting by the sink. If she waited a moment for Ashido to finish using the toilet she could quickly re-dress herself to hide her breasts once more.

'Is something the matter?' Byakuya was in the middle of walking down the stairs ready for his turn to shower. An immediate blush reappeared over her cheeks. She was hoping he didn't hear her embarrassing outburst.

'C-Cheeky-san...'

'Your hair ends are still wet.'

'H-Hai...'

'Blow dry them off before you catch a cold,' he advised with his warm words and softer tone. She nodded.

'Hai.'

She moved away from the door and slowly made her way towards the stairs; towards Byakuya. Casually, he continued walking down. Everything seemed normal until all the lights began to flicker again. The same buzzing noise occurred but this time it stretched out for a longer time. All of a sudden the buzzing cut off and all the lights blew out. It was all dark with just a silver line of the moonlight seeping through the windows. Another howling thunder occurred which made Rukia gasp out loud.

'Rukia, are you okay?' Byakuya asked.

Pitch black darkness draped across the entire room. It was hardly possible for him to even see what was in front of him. He still tried walking down the stairs none the less. He was worried about Rukia's sudden shriek. Was she hurt? Was she scared? Why wasn't she answering him?

'Cheeky-san?'

Without actually seeing her face he couldn't tell if she was alright from just her voice. There was a muffled scream which worried him even more and his footsteps quickened. The lack of light hampered him; his footsteps were clumsy and inevitably he missed a step. His only relief was that he wasn't too far from the ground floor and he happened to fall on a cushion.

'Argh!'

No, it wasn't really a cushion! He had fallen on top of Rukia! His entire body pinned her petite one flat against the ground. And he soon realised a major problem. Cupped in his hand was...

_Rukia's breast!_

Small as it was but it felt incredibly plump, perky, warm, sof-

_Stop thinking like that! Why am I still holding it! Why can't I move!_

Poor Byakuya tried his hardest to ignore her female curves but unfortunately his body wouldn't let him. A fire in his belly was kick-started and he could feel a strange movement in his lower regions. It tingled and danced around in excitement. Before Byakuya could do anything about it there was a bulge in his pants creeping over him!

_No! No! No! Not here! Not like this! Why must the light turn back on now!_

He scrambled off her and took a few shuffles backwards, not sure where to look. All of this came to such a shock to him he wasn't sure what to do with himself. Something else disturbing hit him. A warm sensation slowly ran across his top lip. The back of his hand went to sweep it off only to discover it was blood. He was having a nosebleed!

_Stop thinking about her breast!_

* * *

The last thing she saw was the flicking light before it went out entirely. It was okay but the violent howl of the thunder did bug her. So much so she couldn't contain her shock and gasped out loud. Maybe she wasn't truly scared of it but it the sudden noise shocked her at least. She felt uneasy about the darkness around her too. Perhaps the lights blew out due to the violent storm outside?

'Rukia, are you okay?'

It may have only been Rukia's imagination but Byakuya sounded like he was really worried for her. All she could do was fumble in the dark; waving around her arms in order to search for him.

'Cheeky-san?' She could hear Ashido screaming something from within the bathroom but paid no heed to it.

'Argh!'

All of a sudden a great weight threw into her and had crashed to the wooden floor with her. It took her a few minutes to fully comprehend her compromising situation. Rukia's face burnt hot. Byakuya was squashed on top of her body but the most terrifying thing was that her breast was in his hand! In Byakuya's hand! A female breast!

_My__ female breast! It's all over for me for sure!_

The lights flicked back on all of a sudden. She could feel something poking against her stomach but was too engrossed with Byakuya's hand on her boob that she ignored it. His touch lingered on her body for what seemed like days. Byakuya pushed himself off Rukia's small frame. She could see him sitting a few feet away from her with a noticeable nosebleed! He looked up to her but then quickly went to stare blankly at the wooden planks. There was a light blush on his face.

_A freaking nosebleed! Is it because he touched... touched me...!_

'I didn't mean to...' His apology trailed off not sure what were the right words to say. 'It was dark and I was worried...'

Again he couldn't finish of his sentence. He felt it was a poor excuse for touching her in such an inappropriate way. Rukia was still hugely embarrassed but something wasn't quite right. Something inside her managed to pull her back to reality, replay his words. His reaction to the situation was unexpected, maybe even a little abnormal.

_Why isn't he asking me about my sexuality?_

_Why is he not freaking out?_

_Why does he seem quite... normal?_

_It's as if... as if..._

_He already knew I was a girl all along!_

_Can it be...!_

She blinked rapidly, wide eyed. Byakuya was still avoiding her eye line but she knew he was definitely hiding something from her. His body language said it all. Ichigo chose this time to waltz into the dorm room, grinning wickedly.

'Oh, my God! What was all that about!' Ashido screamed and burst out of the bathroom. His brother raised an eyebrow.

'Why were you in the bathroom? I thought Rukia was busy taking a bath so I turned the lights off. How-' Ichigo got cut off as his brother grabbed him by his t-shirt and pulled him close to his face.

'You did what!' His brother didn't understand why he was getting so mad.

'What's gotten into you, Ashido?' Ichigo's nose twitched. 'What is that smell?' He sniffed and the smell led to his brother's leg.

'I urinated all over myself because the lights went out!' Ashido hissed. 'No thanks to you!' Ichigo roared with laughter.

'You did what!' He giggled some more which irritated his brother. Ashido took a swipe at him but Ichigo managed to dodge it.

'Gomen, gomen,' Ichigo offered and began to escape up the stairs from his brother's murderous intent.

'I only turned off the lights as a joke. How was I supposed to know something serious would happen from that!' Byakuya 's eyes lit up.

_Oh, this is __**serious**__ alright..._

His grey eyes locked onto her violet pupils. Both hearts were racing beyond their control. They ignored the twins' mini argument. All their focus remained on each other, unable to shake off this spark of electricity inside them. Both of them were aware of what all this meant and repeated it in their mind's eye over and over:

_You knew..._

_You know that I knew..._

* * *

**Oooh so things are getting a little more _interesting_ for ByaRuki (wink wink!). So now he knows and she knows he knows she's a girl (wow that was a bit confusing lol)!**

**So, I focused on both Ashido's sexual orientation and Rukia's gender =pPoor old Ashido is in turmoil about his sexuality =p Like I already said to some of you, I didn't want to make Ashido gay. I think it's the MHC gene that I mentioned in the chapter. We are naturally attracted to those who have diverse genes to us. We detect this through smell so Ashido would still be attracted to Rukia despite being in a male identity. Does that make sense? lol it did when I first thought of it but now it sounds really complex ha-ha**

**On a side note, I found my inner fangirl when Rukia talked about seducing someone like Byakuya in the actual anime! It does make me wonder if they will develop that idea...! Anyways, please leave a review and let me know what you thought of the chapter. Ja x**


	12. Sensitive Material

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay! I know I keep saying that. Partly it was my fault for being busy with writing reports and partly I was experiencing some technical problems with FF. For some reason or another the site wouldn't update the new chapter (sigh). Anyway, I want to thank my previous reviewers: Nathalie Shiffer, vicky73, DeathgodIceHeart, LuciL06, ForTheLoveofTigerLillies, Huh Soobin, CJ, YuzurihaNoRyuu, DRUON, L, seras3791, ai-haibara777, tokiko76, silverqueen, Miyoshi Murasaki, isara-love, Nikki-4, obsessed dreamer and Evil One. They really helped me through my busy schedule and cheered me up! And I loooooved your PMs too! X**

**Vicky: Sorry for the late update! Sorry for the short chapter! (hides from any tomatoes you want to throw at me =p). I'll plan for a longer chapter when I have some more time. Work's just been crazy lately =p x**

**DeathgodIceHeart: Thank you for your lovely compliment! No Toshiro this chappie but I'll try fit him in later. I'm still unable to decide if he should be part of this harem =p**

**LuciL06: I loved the ending too! I kept changing it but I'm very happy with the end result! Hope you find this chapter funny too even though it is a little short x**

**CJ: I totally understand what you're saying. There was a research which tried to investigate whether we are born with our sexuality or do we discover it as we grow up. But I agree that it shouldn't really matter. We're in love with the person in question not their gender =p And thanks for your concern. My eyes are already red no matter how much sleep I get. Doctor says it's stress =p**

**DRUON: Sorry for the loooong wait! Hope this chapter is worth the wait =p I'll try to update the next quicker x**

**L: Hoorah for nosebleeds! Byakuya is just a young teenage boy after all. And we all know teenage boys think about non-stop...! **

**seras3791: There's a bit more ByaRuki sweetness in this chapter which I hope you'll like x**

**silverqueen: I hope you haven't died waiting for this update lol! I am really sorry it took so long x Hope it was worth the wait!**

**Miyoshi Murasaki: Thank you for your PM. It made me happy too! X I was actually first attracted to FF because of the wonderful ByaRuki stories out their =p I actually now have 2 more ByaRuki stories in my head which I want to write about but I really should finish my outstanding stories first =p**

**obsessed dreamer: Thank you again for your back-to-back reviews! I was over the moon with joy! x **

**Evil One: I think all my characters in this story are a bit OOC. Sorry! =p Yeah, I don't have a beta reader so forgive me for my spelling mistakes. I do proof read it but sometimes I still miss out errors =p I probably won't use Chad or Ishida in this story but hopefully you'll enjoy the story anyways x**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

**Warning: OOC and AU**

* * *

Sensitive Material

'Nooooo!' Cupid propped several huge files onto the desk Renji was sitting at.

'As promised, Rukia, here is all the paperwork I would like you to process for me.'

Renji sweated like mad, still in his disguise as Rukia. There were at least three heavy lever arch files filled with papers. How could one person deal with so much work! It was going to take him at least a week just to read them!

_Kami-sama! You're mocking me, aren't you!_

'Do I really have to read _all_of these?' Renji pleaded as he went to flick open the top file. His brown eyes widened.

'Th-This is...' he gasped, lost for words.

All three files contained personal and confidential material. There were many photos, notes and detailed reports just like in human FBI investigations. But Renji wasn't shocked at the level of work that was carried out. The thing that caught his special attention was that the angel that was being investigated; that they were to match-make for was-

'Abarai Renji,' Cupid stated the obvious. Yes, the person Cupid was going to match-make next was Renji himself! He couldn't help but to begin reading his own file.

'Abarai Renji,' Renji read a random report out loud, 'is a loud, rash and sometimes cocky young angel! He has the wild spirit like of a baboon!' Cupid chuckled.

'Don't you remember, Rukia? You wrote this report yourself?' Renji fumed with anger.

_Teme! You compared me to a baboon! Are you trying to make a monkey out of me! _

'It would be great if you could sift through all this information and then hand it to me,' Cupid instructed. Renji was brought back to reality that Cupid was going to select a person to be his true love.

'Cupid-sama...'

But what was he supposed to say? He couldn't reveal his true self and tell Cupid he wasn't ready to settle down with anyone. That would get both him and Rukia into trouble! Cupid giggled a little.

'Does our Rukia have a _thing_ for Renji?'

'Huh?' Renji blushed.

'You two have always been really close. Everyone knows you care a lot about each other even though you always argue. Are there any romantic feelings hidden?' Renji blushed more.

_Hidden feelings...?_

'I...'

* * *

'What a fine, beautiful day it is.'

Joshiro admired the sunny, clear weather as he slid open the window as wide as he could to let the fresh air into the classroom. He could hear the little birds chirping away nearby. His students gradually pulled out their sketch books and settled down for their first class of the day.

Despite the lovely, peaceful weather, Byakuya's inner world was less than calm. In fact, it was spinning wild. Despite his efforts, he couldn't stop himself from replaying that fateful night where he had violated Rukia. She had made no mention of him touching her in such an inappropriate way and he just couldn't muster the courage to approach her about it either. Instead, both parties kept their distance; kept their silence; kept their thoughts to themselves. Byakuya tried to look at her secretly from the corner of his eye.

_What must you think of me?__  
__  
__What do I do with these feelings of mine...?__  
_  
'Does any of you want to paint outsi-'

Joshiro was cut off when a bird accidently flew inside the class room. It began flying around in circles desperately trying to find a way out again. Some of the boys raised their voices when the bird narrowly missed them which caused the animal to dart around the room in a more panicked manner.

'Woah! What the Hell is it!'

'Jesus!'

'Shoot it down with kido!'

'Yeah! Great i-'

'Hush now. No one is to harm the bird,' their art teacher instructed. 'Everybody-' Joshiro couldn't speak anymore or focus much as he began another one of his coughing fits. The sun's heat was making him feel dizzy already.

'Oh, surely it can't be that hard to catch _one_bird,' Ashido suggested and winked at his twin. The two boys stood on their chairs to wait for the animal to fly towards them. The other students soon did the same. Rukia decided to move out of the way in case she got caught in the crossfire. The bird came towards them, still lost. Ichigo nodded his head as if to signal to his brother.

'On one...' Ashido nodded as he received the signal.

'Two...'

'Three!'

At the same time, the brothers threw themselves towards each other. To no one's surprise, the bird was too quick for them, and they both missed. But at least they had Rukia's desk to land on. Well, at least they did until Szayel thought it was a good idea to kick it out of the way. Eventually, the twins collided into each other and crashed onto the floor.

'It hurts!' the brothers complained. Ashido rubbed his shoulder which hurt him the most.

'Why did you do that for!' he yelled, getting irritated as Szayel was still sniggering. He flicked his beautiful pink hair over his shoulder.

'That's for calling me 'ugly', Szayel bluntly replied.

Ichigo frowned, picked up the nearest bottle of acrylic painted and squeezed the black substance across Szayel's face and uniform. The zigzag lines dripped to the floor in slow motion.

'BAKA! How dare you!' the drama queen gasped, trembling with rage. Ashido and the rest of the class began to roar with laughter.

'Nice one, Ichigo!'

'Oh, you think that's funny, do you!'

'Now, come on, boys, let's act responsibly...' Their art teacher tried to stand up but wasn't physically fit to do so.

Szayel ignored his art teacher's wise words and went to grab a red bottle and squirted the thick paint into Ashido's face. He wasn't the only victim as Ichigo soon discovered he was covered in it too. And before Joshiro could step in the twins decided to retaliate and the three of them began a massive paint war.

'Fight! Fight! Fight!'

The entire class soon joined in and threw paint around the whole classroom. It was difficult to tell who threw paint at who but they all seemed to actually enjoy taking part in the fight. Ashidio aimed two bottles of paint at Szayel for good measure.

'Stop it boys this instance!' Joshiro warned.

'Why you...!'

He went to return the favour but the twin decided to divert from the fire at the last minute. Unfortunately for Rukia she was standing directly in front of Ashido so the paint was heading towards her instead. She watched as the red flecks darted towards her. But that was all she could do. Watch. The paint approached her so fast she had no time to react. All she could do was jam her eyes shut and cringed at the thought of receiving the paint in her face. Ten-Twenty seconds went by until she came to realise that nothing had happened. For some reason the class had suddenly went dead silent. Everyone seemed to have stopped fighting. Some students even gasped. Did something bad occur?

Slowly, she peeled her eyes open, curious as to what happened but still a little scared. To her surprise, she found a tall human shield guarding her from the attack. Red dots splattered over this man's uniform.

'Ch-Cheeky-san...? Why...?'

* * *

Byakuya immediately protected himself from the paint fight with a kido barrier. He was going to just walk out of the room calmly and wait for everything to return to normal again until something else caught his attention. Rukia had found herself in the middle of the crossfire between Szayel and the twins. It all happened so fast. Without thinking he broke from his kido to concentrate on flash-stepping right in front of Rukia to save her. His white shirt was ruined but he didn't care. The students were shocked that he was the first in their class to be able to use shun-po but he didn't care about that either. All he cared about was...

'Ch-Cheeky-san...' her voice was soft and even sounded a little apologetic. 'Why...?'

He didn't try to look at her. His face remained emotionless and cold despite the panic feeling that whirled inside him only a few seconds ago. Even he couldn't explain himself why he had made such a bold move to help Rukia. Maybe he didn't want to explain since it was never like his character to have any sentimental attachment.

'Woah! Did you see that!' Ashida gasped.

'Yeah! I think it was a blue tit!' His brother replied. Byakuya twitched even though Ichigo was purely talking about the bird.

_Tit..._

'No! I meant Buakuya's shun-po!' Ashida clomped hard on his younger brother's head. 'And I don't think it was a tit. It was probably a robin.'

'Baka,' Szayel scolded and threw his paint brush at them. 'It wasn't a robin. They have a red breast.' The bird clearly had brown feathers all over but Byakuya was busy focussing on something else.

_Breast..._

'Kuchiki-san!' Joshiro noticed something worrying. 'Your nose is bleeding!'

Byakuya's long index finger went to swipe the skin underneath his nose. He couldn't believe his eyes even when he and everyone else could see the warm liquid on his fingertip. How could just two words trigger him to remember last night's accidental touching!

'Excuse me,' Byakuya finally said.

Unsure of what he should do he decided to just leave and change into a clean set of uniform. How could he be so sensitive over so little words!

_Am I going crazy... over you?_

* * *

There were already loud noises coming from the boys changing rooms before she even entered it. Rukia took a deep breath. The boys were probably all semi-naked already but she wasn't going to look. No, she was going to keep her focus entirely fixed onto the floor and go straight to the toilets to change into her sports clothes. That sounded like a good plan...

CREEEEEAK

The door had already swung open in front of her before she came to her resolve. Boy did she regret that because now stood staring at her was Ulquiorra in nothing but his black boxers! He was pale white and thin all over. He had two outstanding pecks which suited his skinny frame really well. Her eyes widened. She didn't want to look but somehow couldn't look away either. The prefect's lips curled into a little smile and he leaned his head slightly to the side.

'See something you like, Rukia?' he purred.

'I...'

Her eyes frantically tried to find something else to look at when she realised she had been staring or even admiring his physique for a moment too long. A warm blush feathered across her cheeks. What was she supposed to say? Could she maybe just change the subject?

'Prefect-san... aren't you supposed to get ready for P.E?' she enquired, still refusing to look at him.

'Oh, I'm _always_ ready for some _physical_ education,' he husked. Could Rukia turned redder than she already was?

'B-But you're still in your... _underwear_,' she whispered the last part. Like Hell did she needed to draw _more_ attention to his lack of clothing!

'What do you mean?' Ulquiorra wore a puzzled face. 'These are my swimming shorts.' Rukia snapped her head up and finally looked at him.

'Swimming shorts?'

'Yeah, everyone in the class are being tested their swimming skills,' he explained. Her violet eyes grew wide. It was for definite that Rukia's female body would be revealed for this reason.

_Oh, God, how am I supposed to get out of this one! _

_Maybe I should just come out with the truth since Cheeky-san already knows. He's sure to say something anyway!_

_But then..._

_Why hasn't he said anything... __**yet**__...?_

'Oi! Rukia!' Ashido yelled.

The twins waltzed out of the changing room too with matching blue swimming goggles and black swimming shorts on. They looked almost identical except for-

'Ichigo, why are you wearing a duck ring?' Rukia stated the obvious. Yes, Ichigo was wearing a huge yellow inflatable duck ring around his waist.

'Don't ask,' his brother muttered and rolled his eyes. Ichigo beamed with a dazzling smile.

'Cool, huh? I've got some watermelon juice too! We can have a Bleach beach party!' Ashido shook his head in slight embarrassment over his brothers' obsession with the manga.

'Baka, we're only going to the school's outdoor swimming pool,' Szayel spat from behind the boys.

'No one cares about what you have to say, Ugly-san,' Ichigo threw back at the drama queen.

'What did you say!'

'And why are you wearing a bathrobe anyway! Baka!' Ashido joined in. Szayel was indeed wearing a white fluffy cotton-made robe.

'Because I want to!' he deadpanned. 'Do you have a problem with that!' Ulquiorra ignored the mini fight and returned his attention to the girl.

'Rukia, go quickly to the changing room to get ready and I'll wait for you here. Everyone else can make their way to the pool.'

'H-Huh?' She suddenly remembered about her huge dilemma she was currently faced with. 'N-No, no, that won't be necessary.' She shook her hands and tried to hide the fact that she was panicking.

'Why, do you want to change right in front of me?' She almost choked on his words.

'N... I mean, I c-can't actually swim so I won't be able to take part...' She was pretty impressed with herself for thinking up such an excuse in such a short space of time. Her secret was safe... for now.

'It's a swimming _lesson_, Midget-san. You'll be taught how to swim,' Szayel deadpanned as he flicked his lovely pink her over his shoulder for like the 100th time.

'Well, actually, I'm a little scared of water,' she offered and ignored his nickname for her. Ashido scrunched up his face and pouted.

'Oh, come on, Rukia. It will be fun. I promise!' he urged. 'You can hold my hand if you're scared.' Ichigo rolled his eyes.

'In your dreams,' he muttered under his breath.

'Gomen, you go on without me,' she said before disappearing into the changing room to dump her belongings. Szayel took this opportunity to walk closer to Ulquiorra.

'Prefect-san, what do you think about my trunks? They're brand new!'

He opened up his bathrobe to reveal his tight looking pink Speedos. Surely, they were at least a size too small? But then maybe he deliberately wanted to show off that part of his body! Whatever his motives were, Ulquiorra wasn't paying much attention to it or to Szayel himself for that matter. The prefect sighed.

'And I was so looking forward to finally see Rukia's naked body.' And with that he walked off, obviously disappointed.

'Prefect-san? Prefect-san?' Szayel did his best to get Ulquiorra's attention but to no avail. And it was all because of-

_That annoying midget!_

* * *

News of the Seireitei boys were taking swimming lessons travelled fast. All their fangirls decided to skip class just to get a glance at their idol... _semi-naked _of course! Some girls were already armed with cameras to capture the moment forever. Others brought pictures and pens ready to seek an autograph from their favourite Seireitei boy. A group of girls huddled around a bush near the pool and waited for the boys to arrive. As time passed, more and more girls turned up, all fighting for the best spot for the best view. Some pushing began and some quarrelling soon came with it.

'Move over,' one whispered.

'No! I was here first!' another hissed.

'Move, I've a big fan of Byakuya-sama!'

'Well I'm a _bigger _fan of his!'

'No, I am!'

'No, I am!' A tall shadow loomed over them. They hardly had time to register it.

'What do you think you're doing?' Szayel demanded. He had followed to wherever these strange noises were.

The girls shrieked the moment they were discovered. They panicked especially when there was this black aura circling around the boy. He was obviously in a bad mood and was filled with murdering intent.

'S-Syayel... sem...pai...'

They quivered with fear not only because they weren't supposed to be on Seireitei grounds but also because they knew how much girls irritated the boy. His amber eyes pierced right at them. He just wanted to take his anger out on the first person who crossed him. How unfortunate for them.

'Who gave you permission to be here! Get lost before I report you all to the principal!' he yelled without restraint. The girls were scared stiff.

'H-Hai!'

'Gomenesai!'

'Gomenesai! It won't happen again!' They all fell over each other before picking themselves up again and ran away before he killed them all.

'Baka,' he spat and walked over to the swimming pool. No one was there yet. It seemed like he was the first to arrive. Everyone else were still doing warm-up exercises back at the gym. But who was that who was walking towards him? A small little figure it was but it soon became apparent to him. Syayel's face twitched in annoyance. Of course Rukia was sent away since she couldn't swim-

_The midget can't swim, huh!_

She offered him a small smile and a bow when she was closer towards him. Everything she did was irritating to him.

_You think you have the right to flirt with __my __Prefect-san, do you!_

She walked to the side closer to the edge of the pool so she could walk around him. He scowled at her non-stop.

_I'll show you!_

'Ooops!'

Without any warning, without a moment's hesitation, Szayel took a step and pretended to slip. He took this opportunity to bump into Rukia and elbowed her hard, knocking her off balance.

SPLASH!

Rukia fell into the water just how Szayel had intended but he made it look like an accident. Rukia bobbed up and down, gasping her air and waving her arms about in an attempt to stop herself from drowning. She was choking on mouthfuls of water before finally finding her feet. She was about to stand up but then hesitated and shrunk back down into the water leaving only her head exposed above the surface. The card board she used to protect her chest was floating in a corner of the pool. It must have slipped out when she fell in. Now, her wet clothes were clinging to her womanly figure so tightly. It was for certain that he would see the outline of her breasts if she stood up!

_No, I'll get out when he leaves. Stupid drama queen!_

It was then when all the boys from her class decided to turn up. They could all see her. Her eyes widened.

_Shit! How am I supposed to leave unnoticed now! They'll all find out I'm a girl now for sure!_

'Ichigo, is that Rukia over in the pool?' Ashido whispered to his brother. Byakuya took a glance just before she swung round so her back was facing everyone.

'What is he doing swimming in his uniform?'

'Why do you want to see Rukia in his trunks instead?' Ichigo suggested. His brother blushed at the thought.

'I have no idea what you're implying!' Ashido scoffed but he knew. Oh, he knew exactly what he meant!

'Orikasa-san, didn't you say that you can't swim?' Kisuke cocked his head and asked.

'H-Hai,' Rukia quickly replied. She turned her head slightly but still kept her back towards everyone for safe measure. 'I was pushe-'

'Rukia fell into the water. It was only an accident,' Szayel jumped in.

'I see. How careless of you, Orikasa-san. Thankfully, you only ended up in shallow end, huh?' Kisuke smiled and waved his fan playfully.

'Hai, Urahara-sensei...' She was 100% certain that it was no accident and threw an evil look at Szayel but he only smirked.

'Shouldn't you move out now, Rukia? Some of us actually want a swimming lesson, you know?' Szayel threw back at her. He undid his belt and removed his bathrobe to get ready for the lesson.

'I...' she hesitated and Byakuya could see what she was worried about. He snatched the bathrobe off the drama queen.

'Hey, that's mine. Give it..' Syayel's words trailed off. Even he didn't dare to annoy the prince. Byakuya walked towards the edge of the pool and dangled the robe towards Rukia.

'Rukia, wear this and hurry up and change your clothes before you take ill,' he suggested.

She lifted her head up and peered at him under her long bang. She slowly looked up and took in the image from bottom to top. He was wearing purple shorts and his glorious chest was on full show. A little blush appeared on the tips of her cheeks. He looked so gorgeous. Was he getting more and more handsome or was did she only just realise his beauty...?

_Wow! Cheeky-san is semi-naked!_

'Rukia?' he prompted.

'Hai,' she finally answered. Her small hand went to take the bathrobe when a tightening pain shot through her leg. Her calf muscled clutched hard and the pain was intense.

'Ouch!' she sunk back into the water. 'Muscle cramp!'

'Rukia?' his voice was deep as usual yet also blended with genuine concern.

'Urgh!'

Byakuya couldn't go on seeing her in agony any longer and abandoned the bathrobe which fell to the floor. He carefully stepped into the pool and picked her up in his arms. She was incredibly light like a feather so he easily made his way to the steps to get out of the water and decided to return to their dorm room so she could change out of her wet clothes and into dry ones. He ignored all the fuss the other boys were making. He ignored the fact that he had just walked out of class and would probably get scolded for it. He ignored it all. At that moment in time nothing else mattered apart from the petite girl in his arms. Maybe it was because she was hurt of maybe he didn't want anyone to discover her real gender.

_Maybe because I want you to stay by side... _

_...even if it's just for a little while longer..._

* * *

Safe. Rukia suddenly felt entirely safe the moment he picked her up in his arms. Maybe it was because of his strong arms? Maybe it was because she was panicking and he was first to help her? Maybe it was because _he_ made her feel safe? Something that no one else could achieve? Who knows but she just couldn't stop that little warm glee feeling inside her.

_Am I happy to be in Cheeky-san's arms... __**again**__?_

Her face was resting against his marbled chest. Droplets of water were trailing down his skin looking rather like sweat. Merging that image with the intimate physical contact they were sharing, Rukia's blush intensified and her heartbeat sped fast.

'AHCHOO!'

* * *

The noise of Rukia's sneeze jerked Byakuya out of his thoughts. His feet continued walking but his eyes did lower down to check that she was alright. In that moment when he was supposed to look at her face he accidently caught sight of her white shirt. It was only a subtle hint but he could see the shape of her breasts through the flimsy fabric. With the nature of the fabric and the water combination, it turned see-through. A pastel pink coloured bra with white polka dots on was clearly visible! Her shirt hugged her breasts tightly. Byakuya's head snapped up but he had already seen enough! His chest tightened, his heart pounded like mad and-

'Cheeky-san, is your nose bleeding again?'

_For God's sake! What is wrong with me!_

* * *

Byakuya was now back at the dorms and he had suggested Rukia take a hot shower before her small sniffles manifested into a full blown cold. Why he was still hanging around he didn't know. Did he want to make sure she was okay? Maybe it was a good idea to head back to class now? Just as he turned away the click of a door opening appeared.

'Cheeky-san?' He paused before turning back round. You could only see Rukia's head peeking out of the bathroom door.

'I...' she bit her lip, finding it difficult to find her voice. 'Can you bring me my clothes and towel? I left them on my bed...' she whispered.

Byakuya remained silent but decided to do as she asked. He flashed stepped up the stairs. Laid on top of the bed was already a neat set of her uniform and a folded yellow towel next to it. He took them all into his hands and walked downstairs. Unbeknown to him, there were a few other items of clothing tucked in-between her shirt and trousers which fell out and onto the floor. His eyes widened at the sight of the frilly yellow bra and matching panties spread out on the wooden boards. How long was he glued to the sight of them?

_Stop it! Unless you want another nose bleed!_

After he cursed himself, he went to pick up the garments but unfortunately for him, it was then when the twins decided to walk in on him.

'Rukia! Are you okay?' Ashido began. 'We came back to see how you-'

Picture this if you can: The evil twins had caught sight of the ever so noble and emotionless prince with lingerie in his hands. There was nothing worse. And it wasn't like he could come up with a reasonable excuse for possessing such sensitive material! He couldn't tell they belonged to Rukia!

'Oh, my God! Byakuya is a pervert!'

'Do you like wearing ladies underwear, Byakuya!'

As the room filled with hysterical laughter, Byakuya wondered if he was already in Hell...!

* * *

**Lol I love to see Byakuya in the anime in this scene! A perverted Byakuya... Mmm... Yummy! Poor Byakuya is gonna end up anaemic with all this blood loss! lol**

**Anyways, let me know what you think and drop me a review. I know it may be a little short but nothing else fitted this chapter. Hopefully you still liked it anyway and I'll try make the next chapter longer. Ja x**


	13. Sparks Fly

**Hi everyone! Yes, I'm still alive! =p It's been quite a while since I last updated – 2 months in fact! I am really really sorry for making my readers wait for so long! I was offered a possible promotion at work so I have been working extra hours and taking a lot more jobs to please my boss. To be honest, it might even just be a con for me to be their slave for as long as they can =p There wasn't even enough time for me to sleep and even my supervisor complained I looked like a zombie half the time! I don't know how long this is going to last but I just had to update this chapter when tokiko76 said she was worried about me going missing for such a long time x Thank you for those who reviewed for the last chapter: Nathalie Shiffer, vicky73, blackbubbledancer, corruptedkuchikiangel, L, byarukixOxO, silverqueen, CJ, isara-love, DRUON, Miyoshi Murasaki, LuciL06, xXBlackStarXx, YuzurihaNoRyuu, seras3791, DenSve, ai-haibarab777, ReckoningDay, None93, Hiyumi Shizuka, tokiko76 and waterbottleandpillows. Love you all and your PMs! X**

**L: Sorry about the huge wait x ByaRuki definitely need to sort out their feelings =p**

**silverqueen: There will be more 'sweetness' in this chapter for sure x**

**CJ: Thank you for the amazing compliment! x I think this is why I'm no good at writing long chapters. If I do I tend to drag out the story with either too much description or not enough character development etc. I envy those who can write pages after pages (sigh) =p And Szayel is definately growing on me lol He's just so much fun to play with!**

**seras3791: Apologies for the long wait. I hope the wait was worth it x And welcome to FF officially! **

**ReckoningDay: Thank you for your compliment. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter just as much as the previous one**

**None93: Thank you for your lovely compliment and suggestion x Wow, and you were the 200****th**** review too! x**

**Tokiko76: Hey babes, I'm sorry for making you worry over me. Thank you for your concern! X I really appreciated it! I hope your exams all went well are you're okay too! x**

**Anyways, here's the chapter and I hope you'll enjoy it x**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

**KKK**

**Sparks Fly**

'When did we…' Ashido began.

'… agree to come here?' Ichigo finished off.

Pretty much all members of the cast were dragged out today to the countryside in the early hours of Saturday morning. The boys were all yawning and cursing about their lack of sleep and how they were missing out on playing on their computer games. The girls were quite happy to be in the new area. There were luscious green fields which stretched on for miles. Trees and flowers were growing everywhere and there was no sign of any industrial life except for a few little cottages nearby.

'The moment you took part in the play you have indirectly agreed to do anything to promote it and for the good of it,' Rangiku explained.

'But that could involve anything!' the twins protested.

'There was this fireworks fiesta in town today that we wanted to go-'

'Is there a problem?' She threw a death glare at them.

'No, of course not,' the sheepishly replied.

'Matsu-sensei, how does us coming here got anything to do with the play?' Ulquiorra questioned. 'And why are we in our costumes again?' The entire cast were in their characters' clothes.

'Well, since 'Pride and Prejudice' was actually set in the countryside I thought it would be a good idea to come here so you could get a feel of the similar setting. Plus, I could also squeeze in another photo shoot,' she pointed towards the camera crew behind her.

'The last lot sold out within a week!'

'Money-grabbing old ha-' Before Ichigo could finish his sentence his teacher had stuffed his mouth with hay.

'Oh, sorry, Ichigo, I thought you said you wanted some '_hay_'. Were you talking about something else?' Rangiku asked sarcastically. 'Well, spit it out then!'

'It was nothing…' Ichigo couldn't muster up the courage to call his teacher a _hag_ and fished out the dry grass instead.

'So, before I was so _rudely_ interrupted, she threw another chilling look at the twins enough to shut them up for a while, 'I was just about to tell you that I've arranged for you will all to take horse riding lessons today.' Her assistants were all ready with some of the equipment.

'Everyone, be sure to wear a helmet first. Here's one for you and Rukia.'

Rangiku dumped two black helmet in Byakuya's arms and went on to hand out the rest to the other students. Without saying a word he just offered a helmet to Rukia. He didn't even look at her, keeping his eyes firmly fixed elsewhere. If he kept his attention away from her then he wouldn't be reminded of the image of her tight see-through shirt, her brightly coloured bra, her frilly panties, her body wet all over…

_Stop it! Stop thinking about it!_

Byakuya stopped cursing himself when he felt her take the head gear from him. There a moment of connection when her fingers accidentally brushed against his hand. It felt like baby-soft skin. Although it only lasted a few seconds it was long enough to send a few tingles through him.

_Is this what they call 'chemistry'?_

He couldn't resist taking a look at her. It would only be a brief glance or so he told himself.

Rukia was busy struggling with her helmet. It didn't seem to fit her. It was the right size but the shape didn't feel quite right. She tried pushing it down hard to fit her head but it didn't make any difference. Byakuya walked closer to her. The problem was instantly clear to him. She was wearing it back to front so he took it off her and flipped it around before placing it onto her head for her. His longer fingers had a mind of their own and moved to click the straps on and secured them firmly under her chin so the helmet wouldn't move while she was riding. As he was adjusting her straps he could smell her scent. It was a lovely mixture of lavender and water lily from her morning shower. It captured his senses. At that moment, he finally looked straight at her only to find her already gazing at him. Their eyes locked onto each other for what seemed like eternity. Something definitely passes between them but what was it? They were still figuring it out. But one thing he was sure of-

_She's quite the beauty…_

* * *

Rukia's heart pumped quicker with Byakuya so heavenly close to her. The touch of his hands was tentative, oozing with care. From this distance, she could admire his looks better. He seemed to get more handsome the more she got to know him. It wasn't simply that he had extreme model looks but that he was actually a kind, caring person. There were countless times where he had saved her. At first, she thought it was just a coincidence but she came to realize that he genuinely intended to rescue her, help her. That would mean he actually _cared_ about her. A warm fuzzy feeling was melting her insides. Byakuya was such a true gentleman.

Then his eyes caught the sight of her but she didn't look away this time. Neither of them looked away, just quietly gazing at each other while their feelings developed more and more. She knew now that he was looking at her as a _girl_ and not a boy.

I'm so glad you're not gay!

Her mind tossed and turned on whether to actually talk about her real gender. She felt like telling him for sure but should she?

'Cheeky-san, I-'

'Right!' Rangiku suddenly interrupted once she had made sure everyone had taken a helmet. 'Now, everyone, follow me!'

Rangiku lead them to the stables where all the horses stayed. There was some mixed reaction. The boys were quite excited and went running off to great the animals but the girls trailed behind, scared somewhat. You heard all sorts of stories of horses throwing their jockey off onto the ground, kicking them or even trampling on them. If you could imagine how painful it would be if 1,000 kilogram of muscle stamped on you of course you'd be a little bit scared!

'Sensei,' Rukia said and raised her hand, 'I've never been on a horse before.' Ulquiorra places his slender hand on her shoulder.

'That's okay, Rukia. You can ride me, I mean, you can ride _with_ me, if you like?' he teased, making her blush all over.

'That won't be necessary.' Byakuya was rather quick to react. 'There are plenty of professional instructors here who will be more suitable to assist Rukia.' He gave a stern look to Ulquiorra.

'No need to trouble you, Prefect-san.'

Two young girls brought out a beautiful horse each trotting obediently with them. Ulquiorra held his hand up towards them to stop the girls in their tracks. The horses waved their heads to the side and tugged at their straps a bit.

'Rest assured, Byakuya, I'm quite the professional myself.' And with very little effort, the prefect managed to get onto the dark horse. He sat comfortably in the leather saddle and smiled but still Byakuya looked less amused.

'You are not alone in that department, Prefect-san,' Byakuya informed and he soon mounted onto the white horse. He looked very much like Prince Charming…

'This is your horse,' a calm male voice suddenly spoke from behind. Rukia whisked her head round to see a young man with flowing sea blue-green hair. Had she met him before because he looked extremely familiar?

'You must be Rukia?' She nodded. 'I'm Hyorinmaru. Matsu-sensei asked me to be your riding instructor for today.'

It finally dawned on her that she had met him briefly on her very first day at Seireitei. She took a small bow towards the principal's son. It was best to be as polite as possible to such an important character.

'Hi, nice to meet you.' She offered him a timid smile, shame he didn't return it and remained emotionless instead. It kind of reminded her of how Byakuya was like when she first met him but Byakuya is much nicer.

_Have I really warmed up to Byakuya or has Byakuya changed?_

'Do you want to mount on the horse?'

'Mount?'

'Get on the horse.' It sounded like he was ordering her rather than explaining it to her.

'H-Hai.'

She comprehended but still hesitant. It was clear that she was nervous as she gingerly walked nearer to the light brown horse. The fact that the horse shrugged it's head and blew a rumble out of his mouth didn't help ease the tension either!

'I… How…' Her words drifted into silence but Huorinmaru could see the blank look in her eyes.

'Put one foot in the stirrups. Grab the saddle with both hands and pull yourself up.'

'Hai?'

It was nice of him to give her instructions but none of it really made sense to her. It didn't help that she wasn't aware what all the terminology meant. She knew what the saddle was but what was the other thing he mentioned?

'Feed your left foor though that.' He decided to point towards the foot rest which was dangling from a brown leather strap which was the same with for the other side. Rukia nodded.

'Hai.'

_Why didn't you bloody say that in the first place!_

She lifted her leg up and put her petite foot into the gap and gripped her hands over the edge of the saddle. But no matter how much effort she put in she was struggling to lift herself and her right leg over such a big horse. She gave it another try and this time she let out a short gasp. Before she knew it, Hyorinmaru had put both his hands onto her bum and pushed her up onto the animal!

_His hands were on all over my bum!_

Immediately, her face flushed bright red! Disguise or no disguise, surely it was weird if another guy touched another guy like that! How embarrassed was she feeling now!

'Are you comfortable with that?'

'Excuse me?' Her eyes widened with shock. Of course she wasn't comfortable with him touching her bottom! How dare he ask her so boldly! How he still managed a cold exterior was simply baffling!

'Or do you need a cup?'

'A cup?' Rukia was now getting a little irritated. What on Earth was he talking about! 'Why would I need a cup for?'

Idiot!

'He's asking about your balls, Rukia.' Ashido thought he'd come join in with them. 'What cup you get depends on how big your balls are,' he teased. Rukia could have died from embarrassment.

_Why can boys talk about their… their… __**things**__ so casually!_

If I had to hazard a guess,' Ulquiorra said as he trotted gently towards them. He paused to take a look towards her abdomen. 'I'd say Rukia needs a _medium_ cup.' He finished with a dirty grin and a cheeky wink at her.

_Was he just looking at my…!_

Rukia looked down on herself to her lower regions. For some reason, she felt the need to cover her private area with her hands even though she was wearing a dress. Maybe she shouldn't have listened to Renji and stuffed a pair of socks to complete her boyish look!

'Oh, Rukia, my dear you look lovely,' Rangiku praised as she made her way over too.

'Could you get on the horse with Byakuya? I want to use a picture of the two main leads as the poster advert.' Rukia puffed her cheeks with hot air.

'I just got on this bloody horse…' she cursed quietly so her English teacher wouldn't notice. Hyorinmaru held out a hand as if to help her dismount from the horse but the prince was quick to get off his first. Obviously, he had other ideas.

'Perhaps it would be easier if _I_ got on Rukia's horse. 'He walked right up to them and gave Hyorinmaru a death glare.

'I wouldn't want to trouble your wandering hands, Head-Prefect,' Byakuya scoffed, clearly referring to him touching Rukia inappropriately. It may have even angered Byakuya but then his face still remained stoic. Could you say he was _jealous_? He kept his eyes firmly onto the prefect until Hyorinmaru decided to step away.

'I want a word with you,' he sternly told Ulquiorra as he walked past him. It was obvious Hyorinmaru was in a bad mood or Ulquiorra had done something wrong _again_.

* * *

Rukia took her feet out of the stirrups to make way for Byakuya. In a gracious swift, he managed to pull himself up and was soon sitting behind her. The saddled was a little small for two so he had to push himself up to her as close as possible. Was it Byakuya's body head or was it something else that made Rukia warm all over? Little tingles trembled inside her body as his strong thighs rubbed against hers. The horse shook his head again and flicked his tail probably because of the extra weight but it didn't scare Rukia anymore.

_I feel safe when you're around…_

The horse began to push his luck and decided to wander around aimlessly. Rukia patted the horse on the neck.

'Oi, stop moving. Stay,' she ordered but the animal wasn't listening. Well, it probably didn't understand her.

'Take the reins, Rukia,' Byakuya advised and pointed to the long brown straps which were used to lead the horse.

'Hai.' Sharply, she went to pull hard on reins which forced the horse to pull it's head up.

'Not so fast. Here…'

And without giving it too much thought Byakuya closed his hands over hers and the reins. Their fingers intertwined with other others. He could feel her feather-soft hands fitting neatly into his palm like a glove. He gently squeezed them as he pulled at the reins telling the horse to stand still. The animal did as he was told but Byakuya still remained holding her and showed no sign in letting her go. Perhaps he didn't realize it or perhaps he _wanted_ to continue holding her hands…?

* * *

It all happened rather quickly. One minute the horse was misbehaving. The next minute she was holding hands with Byakuya! How did that happen! Although his fingers were cold and unexpecting she couldn't fight the warm fuzzy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Little sparks inside her were flying around. She pushed down on her lips trying to stop herself from smiling. A smile for sharing such body contact with Byakuya. It may have been accidental but she relished it. It actually made her fill with glee.

_I wish this moment could last a little longer. Just a little bit more..._

_Is this what falling in love feels like...?_

'Rukia, are you okay?' Ashido noticed the burning redness in her cheeks. 'You look hot.'

'You think I'm hot?' Rukia raised an eyebrow.

_Are all these boys gay or what!_

'I...' Ashido choked on himself. His mind was doing somersaults, trying to find an appropriate answer. 'Why... Why would I think you're hot!' He laughed nervously.

'I'm not gay like Byakuya. You know we caught him with ladies underwe-' The prince tugged at the reins abruptly which caused the horse to flick his head knocking Ashido off balance.

'Eewww!'

Ashido not only fell to the floor but managed to sit in a pile of horse manure. Everyone either laughed or cringed at the sight of Ashido covered in poo! Even Byakuya managed a secret half smile. He had only meant to scare Ashido but he was humoured by the accidental end result nonetheless. The twin stared at the mess he had all over him.

'I'm definitely in a lot of shit now!'

* * *

On the country estate was also a fruit farm. After the photo shoot, the students were asked to gather some strawberries to make fruit smoothies for lunch. The girls were doing most of the picking while the boys were in charge of the baskets and bringing them to the kitchen once they were full. Some were in charge of watering the plants. The fruits were in season and the girls couldn't resist eating them whilst they were picking. Hisana brought a bunch of strawberries over to Byakuya who was holding a hose pipe and watering the nearby patch. He had a fruit basket hanging off his other hand.

'Byakuya-sama, would you like to try one?' She held out one towards him. 'They are very tasty.'

'Unfortunately, I dislike sweet food.'

'Oh,' she said with much disappointment, 'never mind then.' With that she gently sunk her shoulders and turned away.

'Rukia, if you keep running around like that you'll end up falling over,' Byakuya said flatly but with a hint of real concern for her.

'Cheeky-san, you have to try these! They're delicious!'

Byakuya's mouth seemed to be watering. Was it because the strawberries really looked good enough to eat? Was it because Rukia's mouth was busy munching on the fleshy fruit, lips covered with juices, her tongue slipping out occasionally to lick her plump lips?

_Her lips..._

'Would you like to taste them?' Rukia had asked innocently him but Byakuya gulped down his temptation still.

_Is there a lump in my throat? _

Her little fingers lifted a big ripe strawberry up towards him. His eyes looked carefully at the fruit and then at Rukia. Her face was dazzling with anticipation. Was she going to feed him since he had no free hands? Was he going to turn down this romantic opportunity?

Byakuya only took a split second to make up his mind and leant forward slightly to take a bite out of the red fruit all the while with his eyes firmly fixed on Rukia. He took little bites to prolong the intimate moment for as long as possible. He didn't enjoy the taste but he certainly enjoyed the closeness with her. It was amazing what we did for the one we loved just to please them; to be close to them. Byakuya even surprised himself.

_Love? Did I just say...?_

* * *

Rukia's eyes peeled wide as she watched Byakuya eating her strawberry. His lips were moist and his eyes were piercing hers. It all seemed erotic! And then the killer moment happened. As Byakuya went for the last bite his lips pushed along her fingers as he struggled to separate the fruit from its leaves. The look on Byakuya's face remained calm like it was no accident.

_Did he just kiss my fingers!_

_But surely he didn't do it on purpose...!_

_Or did he..._

'Would you like another one?' she dared to ask. To be honest, she secretly enjoyed the show so much she wanted an encore.

* * *

'Unfortunately, I dislike sweet food.'

'Oh, never mind then.'

Hisana was deflated. After several of careful moments she picked some juicy and ripe strawberries. She checked thoroughly for any insects or imperfections. Only the best she wanted for Byakuya. Not for one minute did she think he didn't like them. She blamed herself for not knowing enough about his likes and dislikes. As she turned away to return to pick some more but looked back when she heard Rukia running up towards Byakuya.

'Rukia, if you keep running around like that you'll end up falling over.'

Hisana always knew Byakuya was a man with a few words. The words he did speak often came out flat, making them seem cold. But she knew full well that this sentence he just shared with Rukia was laced with subtle warmth.

'Cheeky-san, you have to try these! They're delicious!'

'Would you like to taste them?'

Although Hisana was hurt to see Byakuya eat the strawberry she was actually half expecting it to happen. It confirmed something she already knew. Byakuya definitely harboured romantic feelings for Rukia and no matter how nice Hisana was she couldn't deny this awful feeling twisting her insides.

_So this is how it feels to be jealous; rejected..._

She didn't want to watch it anymore and pushed the image to the back of her mind as she attempted to get away from it all.

* * *

'Would like another one?'

Rukia picked up another strawberry. Byakuya had to admit he did want another one but before he could do anything Ashdio was quick to bite into the fruit first.

'Byakuya, did you enjoy eating my brother?' Ashido teased, obviously playing the double meaning of Ichigo's name. Rukia squeezed her nose and stepped a few spaces backwards.

'Oh, my God, Ashido you smell like a sewer!' Ashido's nose twitched and sniffed himself all over.

'Seriously? But I showered like a hundred times! I scrubbed so hard my skin's peeling off!' He stepped closer to her and held out his hand to her.

'Can't you smell the lemon flavoured shower gel?'

'Stop following me!' she ordered and backed up further away from him but he still inched towards her. He lifted his arm up to his nose.

'I can't smell any-'

He couldn't finish his sentence when Byakuya aimed his water hose at Ashido and fired water at the twin. It was only a light shower but still it was enough to shock and interrupt Ashido.

'Oi! Who was that!'

The water had gotten into his eyes, interfering with his sight. Maybe Byakuya only wanted to scare him but Rukia had other ideas. Quickly, she snatched a water hose from another student and thought it would be funny to drench Ashido from head to toe in water!

'Stop it!' Ashdio held up his hands to shield himself and managed a small glance at his attacker. 'Rukia! What are you doing!' She giggled uncontrollably, finding it increasingly funny.

'Giving you a well needed bath!' And she raged with laughter again even if her stomach was hurting.

'Hey, stop it already!'

But Rukia ignored his pleas and continued showering him. It was all too amusing. He tried running away from her but of course she chased after him not paying attention to what was ahead of them, or to put it more accurately, _who_ was ahead of them. Ashido soon approached Hisana and decided to pull her in front of himself so he would dodge the water. By the time Rukia realised what had happened it was already too late. Hisana didn't have enough time to react either.

'Ah!' Most of her clothes were drenched and her hair was splashed over her face in a mess. You could see the utter shock in her face.

There was a moment of silence as everyone slowly took in what had happened. Then the worst came. Hisana's body was shuddering slightly and she pressed her lips together tightly as if to hold something in. Her eyes blinked quickly but they couldn't stop the little tears escaping. She was simply having the worst day of her life. Rukia felt awful.

'Hisana, I... I'm sooooo sorry. I-'

She was going to walk up to Hisana and comfort her but realised she was still holding onto the hose which wasn't such a great idea. She looked at the nozzle. Her fingers went to turn it round but the water just went from watering in a straight line to a slow sprinkler style. Obviously not helpful at this time of hour.

'How do you shut this stupid thing off?' She looked back up. 'Hisana, I'm really real...' Rukia's words disappeared while she watched Hisana already running off half way down the field. She scowled at Ashido.

'Hisana wait! Hisana!' She darted at Ashido. 'Why didn't you stop her, you idiot!' she accused. He pointed to himself.

'I'm the idiot? You're the one who humiliated her in front of her everyone!'

'I didn't mean to! You used her as a shield!'

'Er maybe we should be going after Hisana rather than argue amongst ourselves?' Ichigo suggested, being the sensible one for a _change_...

* * *

'Hisana! Where are you!'

Rukia was walking fast. Everyone has split up to look for Hisana. It was almost sunset and was they were worried for Hisana being on her own so close to dark. Rukia's hopes were raised when she saw a figure up ahead sitting on a wooden bench. She picked up her pace and almost broke out into a run, thinking it was the girl. But then the street lamp above the bench lit up making it clear who it really was.

'Szayel?' He laid clumsily over the chair with a small basket of strawberries and drinking from a glass bottle. He lifted his glass flute and stared at the fizzy bubbles.

'Strawberries and champagne – the perfect combination.' Rukia frowned.

'Midget, do you know strawberries are classed as a passion fruit?' He held of one of them and gazed strangely at it.

'That's great,' Rukia answered but with no interest whatsoever. 'Have you seen Hisana about?'

'If you slice one in half you will get a heart but, alas, mine is a broken heart.' He gave a dry laugh.

'Are you drunk? Oh, forget it. I'll find her myself.' She picked up her feet to begin the search party again.

'If you're looking for Hisana she's in the garden maze.'

'Huh? The garden maze?' she asked again but Szayel fell either fell asleep or passed out drunk.

* * *

'Hisana went back to the cottage already.' Byakuya wasn't fooled.

'You said she was in the maze to Rukia, did you not?' Szayel stood up straight.

'So I felt like messing with Rukia. It's because of that bitch Prefect-san rejected me and my lovely strawberries!' He was sick on the floor after his rant and collapsed onto the floor.

* * *

'Hisana! Are you here!' Rukia sighed. She had been repeating the same words and over but there was no reply.

'Hisan-'

Rukia heard a rustle in the hedges and a big shadow flew behind her. She quivered. It was actually a little scary. She was alone in the garden maze and was lost amongst the tall green hedges. How long had she been in there? Was she ever going to find her way out? A massive crow rustled out of the hedge behind her and cried loudly.

'Ah!'

It scared the life out of her. Maybe the only option for her now was to fly out of the maze. Hopefully there wouldn't been any humans about to see her wings-

'Rukia?'

'Who's there?'

'Byakuya.'

'Cheeky-san!' She was delighted to hear his voice but she couldn't see him.

'Where are you?'

'Over here?'

'Where?' Byakuya was on the other side of the hedge.

'I see you. Wait right there and I'll come over.' But even he couldn't find his way round the maze well.

'Rukia, I have called for Matsu-sensei to ask the workers to come over and help us out. We can wait here until they arrive.' He spoke from the other side.

'Hai,' she replied. It was actually a little weird how they were facing directly at each other but had a thick shrubbery wall in between them. They fell into silence for a short while all except for a sneeze from Rukia.

'Are you cold?' Byakuya asked.

'A... A little.' She rubbed her shoulders to warm herself up.

'Chire, Senbonzakura.'

First Rukia could smell the sweet floral scent. Then, she stared in wonder as a wave of pink petals climbing over the hedge and gently wrapping around her like a soft blanket. She beamed at the lovely gesture.

'Arigatou,' she whispered softly.

* * *

They sat down to wait after a few more minutes passed by. They had their backs to each other resting on the bumpy hedge. Neither of them were saying anything.

BOOM!

Their attention went towards the sky. A bright red of light flowered into the night above them and then sparkled with silver bits. Another two appeared in the sky but this time one was blue and the other was green. The fireworks fiesta was already beginning and they had a lovely view of it all.

'Wow! Do you see that, Cheeky-san?' She was bewitched by the bright lights.

'I do.' Rukia couldn't stand the silence and took a deep breath.

'Cheeky-san, I... I wanted to apologise for telling you about my... my gender... I...' She bit her lip, not quite knowing what excuse she was going to create.

'You don't have to explain. I don't know much about you, the real you but you can tell me when_ you_ are ready.' Sure, he had a million questions but he thought she must have a valid reason and he didn't want to interrogate her like a criminal. She smiled. There was one thing she wanted to tell him.

'Cheeky-san, I'm not actually from Japan...' She took thought hard about her next words.

'I'm from Los Angeles.'

'The City of Angels?'

'Hai...' Technically, she wasn't lying...

* * *

**So that was chapter 12 and I hoped you enjoyed it =) I quite liked the scenes with ByaRuki sharing some alone time together =) Byakuya is such a gentleman huh? **

**I got the country idea when I went on a little picnic with my family. We used to go to a strawberry farm when me and my brother were little so I took some inspiration from that =p**

**Hopefully, you won't have to wait for the next update as long as you did this one. My manager has told me take some time off because I look awful! Lol Anyways, let me know what you thought about this chappie and leave me a review please. Thanks. Ja x**


	14. Good Deeds

**Hey all! You must be so tired of me and my delayed updates. Gomen, gomen. As I mentioned to those who kindly PM'd me, I have been totally snowed under by work. I got my promotion at work and have been asked to do overtime. I think I did 60 hours of overtime last month!**

**Anyway, I want to thank all those who reviewed my last chappie: Hiyumi Shizuka, , vicky73, YuzurihaNoRyuu, DRUON, ReckingDay, seras3791, LuciL06, isara-love, Miyoshi Murasaki, L, silverqueen, CielDoll, ai-haibara777, Evil One, KiraXBee, Sonnielion, ilovebleach012, taintedwings and Rukia Shirayuki. Your reviews and PMs helped motivate me to continue writing! Love you all! X**

**vicky73: Hey darling! A huge sorry for the wait! I did make this chapter longer although I know it won't be enough for you my lady! x**

**ReckoningDay: Hope you enjoy this chapter too after such a long wait! X**

**isara-love: Thank you for your support, my dear! (hugs) Good luck with your new term at university too! Gambatte! X**

**Miyoshi Murasaki: I think I have already turned into a zombie! Today, I woke up at 4am and couldn't get back to sleep at all! I've been losing so much sleep lately... I'm even working on Saturday this week! (sigh...)**

**L: Thank you! X I think there's more love going around in this chapter!**

**silverqueen: Hope this chapter was worth the wait! X**

**Evil One: Thank you for your back-to-back reviews! They made me soooo happy! You never know for sure if one-off reviewers enjoy the rest of the story so I'm glad you still do! I haven't quite decided whether to put a lemon in. Not sure if it would fit in with the fluffiness of this story. But I'm still deciding... =p**

**Rukia Shirayuki: I love the twins so much! I have so much fun writing about the devillish acts =p Actually, I based them on the twins in Ouran High School Host Club. You should check it out if you haven't already done so. Very very funny! x**

**I have a little note for those who read 'A Hunger for you' at the end of the chapter.**

**Right, now let's get back to the new chapter. On a side note you might need the following info for later:**

**Foreign currency rate:**

**500 Japanese Yen = £4/$6.5**

**10,000 Japanese Yen = £80/$130 etc**

**NB – All these are just approximate conversions.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach just this plot**

* * *

**Good Deeds**

'I'd like a hot dog, please,' Szayel ordered at the grill bar, trying his best to not lick his lips.

'Would you like some sauce on your sausage?' the butch chef asked with a cooking spatula ready in his hand.

'Yeah, I'd like the white stuff,' Szayel replied with a straight face.

'You mean mayonnaise?'

'Yeah, whatev-' He had to stop midsentence when he felt two pairs of hands tugging him.

'Another victim...' Ashido began.

'...successfully captured!' Ichigo finished off.

'Oi! What do you idiots think you're doing!'

The twins ignored Szayel's kicks and screams to continue dragging him along the grass. The drama queen was complaining how they were ruining his new shoes as it scraped along the grass, picking up green stains and soil. Not that the brothers cared!

It was Monday but the students of both Seireitei High and the Shino Academy were given a day off. A huge event was held at Sereitei's sports field and every student was free to set up a stall to raise money for the 'Help for Japan' charity which would give aid to those who were affected by the recent earthquake in northern Japan and help rebuild of their lives and homes. In return, the schools would give out prizes to three stalls that collected the most money.

The twins decided to take part but not because of the top prize of a holiday for two in Paris but because it was just a good opportunity to cause some serious havoc! Ashido gripped onto both of Szayel's arms while his younger brother went to open up the pillory. It was hinged wooden boards with three holes on the side. Their 'victim' soon knew what those holes were allocated for when Ashido forcefully shoved Szayel's head and hands threw them. With that, Ichigo was quick to clamp the other board down and used a stainless steel padlock to secure to two boards together. The drama queen was trapped in this devise whilst kneeling on the floor.

'Oi! Baka! Remove me from this ugly thing at once!'

'Ladies!' Ashido bellowed into a microphone, clearly ignoring Szayel's protests.

'Gentlemen!' Ichigo continued.

'Welcome to the Kurosaki wicked punishment!' his brother announced. 'I hereby declare this person a criminal for being the ugliest person in the world...'

'What the Hell did you say!' Of course, Szayel wasn't impressed.

'For just a small donation you are allowed to throw anything you like at this convict!'

'What! When did I bloody agree to this!' He tried to wriggle free from the pillory but to no avail. A handful of students seemed interested and made a donation.

'Thank you. You may choose from our lovely range of items. Five items per go.' Ashido instructed to his first few customers. Surprisingly, more people were attracted to the stall – boys_ and_ girls!

'Take that!'

SPLAT!

One wet sponge punched Szayel in the face.

'This is for hogging Prefect-san all to yourself!'

That sponge actually missed the drama queen.

'Aim for his _beloved_ hair!'

SPLAT!

'Oi, Rukia, you have a go too,' Ashido urged, handing her some weapons. She looked at the eggs in his hand suspiciously, still sipping on her juice box.

'Trust me. You'll _enjoy_ it,' he promised.

'Oh, I bet you say that to _all_ the girls, Ashido,' his brother teased with a cheeky wink.

'No! Of course not!' Ashido blushed. 'Don't believe him, Rukia, I-'

'Okay, I'll give it a try.' Rukia held her orange juice box towards Ichigo. 'Here, hold this.' Actually, she need not have asked since she practically shoved it into his hands. The younger brother picked it up and shook around towards Ashido.

'Oi, if I drink this would it seem like I was indirectly kissing Rukia?' Ichigo chuckled to himself.

'Give me that!' Ashido snatched the juice box off his brother. Although slightly annoyed at Ichgo's childish behaviour he was seriously considering about the idea as the stared at the straw that touched Rukia's lips...

_Indirect kissing huh...? _

_Kissing Rukia...?_

Shaking his head, he perished the thought also.

'Here I go!' she prepared herself.

'You wouldn't dare...!'

Szayel's threat came too late. Two eggs, no, make it two_ rotten_ eggs, cracked open onto his forehead. The slimy yolk dripped down covering his eyes and lips. Boy, could he smell that sick-like odour. Szayel was about to throw up when a few squishy tomatoes went flying into him.

'Yeah! That felt good!' Rukia declared and went to pick up some more tomatoes. She was about to throw some more when she realised something.

'But how much money is it...?' she hesitated.

'That's okay. You can play for free,' Ashido offered.

'Are you sure?'

'Yeah, here, have the whole basket.' Ashido pushed the basket towards her.

'Really?'

'No...!' You could hear Szayel's desperate plea in the background.

'Thank you!' Rukia was overjoyed and flashed a dazzling smile at him, making him blush.

'Anything for Rukia, right?' Ichigo teased.

'Shut up!' his brother hushed but Ichigo wasn't convinced.

_Ashido, do you even realise that you are no longer denying it...?_

'Here I go!' Rukia declared before throwing a herd of tomatoes at Szayel. She couldn't stop giggling. Even the others found it incredibly funny too, taking pictures of it all on their cell phones. Then she reached a funny looking earth coloured vegetable. It seemed quite hard but then she sent it flying at the drama queen anyway.

'What the Hell! That was a fucking potato! Baka!'

'Oh, silly me, must have put it in the basket by accident,' Ichigo said innocently.

'Teme...' Syayel cursed. 'You wait until I get out of here! I'm going to take your limbs apart one by one!'

'If we ever set you free, that is,' Ashido said evilly.

* * *

'Why are following me still? Haven't you two got your stand to watch over?' Rukia asked.

'We got bored,' the twins admitted, forgetting to mention that they had still left Szayel chained to the pillory!

Rukia stuffed her face with fluffy pink candy floss. That was probably a bad move since the sticky sweet stuck to her lip and wouldn't come away from the stick. It was like the cheese topping on your pizza that simply wouldn't snap off.

SWOOSH!

Her eyes bulged in shock. No sooner did she find that Ichigo had unsheathed a katana and sliced off the top chunk from her candy floss to separate it from the main source.

'BAKA! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR!' she screamed in a muffled tone, still with a part of the pink fluff hanging from her lips.

'Ichigo, why have you got a sword with you?' his brother asked but already knew the answer.

'It's a Zanpakutō,' Ichigo corrected. 'It's uniquely black all the way through. Cool, huh?'

'I don't give a flying monkey's! You could have cut me!' she continued to whinge, yet the twins continued to ignore her. Ichigo kept bragging about his new toy.

'Rukia, there you are,' Ulquiorra appeared from behind her, giving her a slight scare.

'Prefect-san?'

'That looks tasty. Could I share some of that candy floss with you?' Ulquiorra was clearly referring to the harmless sweet so Rukia stretched out her arm to offer the rest of the stick to him.

'Sure, it's so swee...'

This sentence of hers fizzled out as Ulquiorra dipped his head and took a bite from the floss that was actually still hanging from her lips! Their lips were so dangerously close, she could feel his hot breath brushing sensually against her mouth. For a brief but unforgettable moment her heart leapt out of her body without her consent. Her body froze up, stunned. He was up close and personal staring deep into her eyes, never breaking contact as he chewed slowly, like he was desperately holding onto the moment with her. He remained close to her face while he took his time to chew, pulling her in towards his mesmerizing eyes. Teasingly, he licked his lips for her eyes only.

'Mmm...' he moaned in slight pleasure. 'Delicious. You leave me wanting more, Rukia.'

Did that sound like his usual playful seduction coupled with a hint of sexual frustration? Whatever it was it definitely made Rukia's heart skip a beat. All she could do was stare. Guess she was just speechless.

'Don't fall for him, Rukia,' Ashida jumped in, maybe a little too eager to ruin the party.

'Can you sound a little less jealous?' Ichigo muttered sarcastically.

'Shut up,' his brother ordered. 'Prefect-san is such a player. He's even set up a kiss'o'metre.'

'A kiss what?' Rukia enquired but did she really want to know?

'You sound interested, Rukia,' Ulquiorra stepped closer and placed his arm around her shoulders.

'I've set up a stall to give away kisses for a charity donation. But for you,' he paused to smirk devilishly, 'I'd make it free. Unlimited access too.'

'Uh... Prefect-san...'

Before he had realised it himself, Ashido had placed a defensive hand on Ulquiorra's shoulder, blocking his path to Rukia.

_Like I will let you kiss Rukia..._

'I think you have an actual paying customer who would like your kiss.'

He nodded over to what was ahead of them. There, in the slight distance stood Szayel, painted with all sorts of food remains. The slime dripped along wherever he went. He could barely see with all the gunk covering up his glasses but Ulquiorra thought it was best to escape before he was spotted.

'Excuse me,' Ulquiorra offered. He didn't fancy getting harassed by Szayel, especially not in his current state! Ashido smiled and turned back round to face the angel.

'How about that, Rukia? Rescued you just in time, huh?' Obviously he was more impressed with himself than Rukia was as she just smiled.

'Look, look, it's the bishonen!'

'Where!'

'Over there!'

'Eek!'

'Rukia-sama!'

A few girls started screaming until it captured the rest of the moe's attention and it wasn't before too long when a whole mob of girls charged towards Rukia. They were all pushing, fighting their way through no matter who or what got in the way.

'Oi, watch it!' Ashido warned as he got swayed about from the wave of girls. He gradually got pushed to the back of the crowd and there was an ocean between him and Rukia.

'Stupid fangirls...' he cursed but it was no use. A new group of girls were forming who were fans of the twins.

'He looks so cute!'

'He 's like a pretty girl!'

'Can I have your number, Rukia-sama?'

As it was a charity event, the school decided to allow all their students to not wear uniform for a small donation. The Shino girls were all gushing out how adorably cute Rukia looked in her Chappy t-shirt and shorts especially whilst holding a fluffy candy floss stick. Some of them swarmed her like faithful fans asking for her autograph, a photo picture taken with them or even to accept their gifts.

'Minna-san, please don't suffocate Rukia-sama,' a sweet voice kindly advised.

'Hai, Shirayuki-san...' the girls obediently answered and stood to the side to let the young lady through to approach Rukia.

Not only was she the head prefect of the Shino Academy but she was also famously known as the most beautiful female student. Sode no Shirayuki most certainly lived up to her name. Her long pale purple hair was parted slightly and clipped to the left side with a pebble-like hair assessor while the right side of her hair, slightly shorter, flowed lazily across her face. Half of her hair was fixed into a low bun. Today, she looked like a snow goddess more than ever in a pale purple Furisode kimono with a large matching bow in the back attached to a pale yellow obi.

'Good morning, Rukia-sama,' she greeted and bowed to the angel.

'Eh... Good... Good morning...' Rukia hesitated, slightly perplexed by the divine beauty in front of her.

'Please, call me Shirayuki.' Rukia blushed how this girl was letting her call with no honorific.

'How are your rehearsals going, Rukia-sama?' The angel blushed a little from the honorific suffix. This girl had great respect for her yet Rukia wasn't exactly sure why.

'They're going well. Thank you for asking.'

'Would you like to discuss our bed scene for tomorrow?'

For a moment, Rukia's eyes widened then her brain scrambled to decode what that sentence meant. Gradually, she realised that Sode no Shirayuki was playing her sister in the play. They were meant to be close and shared a small bed with each other.

GULP!

Of course, under normal circumstances it wouldn't be a problem. Alas, these weren't normal circumstances! Rukia, as a _boy_, was going to share a bed with a _girl_. It was natural for Sode no Shirayuki to feel nervous and maybe even a little awkward but she didn't sound like it. It even felt as though she was looking forward to it!

'Perhaps we could practice before the rehearsal?' Did that sound a little too eager?

'Practice?' Rukia broke out in a sweat. How were you supposed to practice a bed scene? Unless she meant physically getting into a bed together..! And then what...!

'Shirayuki-san is hogging the bishonen!' Loud whispers were rustling around them.

'I wish I could have scenes in the play with Rukia-sama!'

'Shirayuki-san gets to keep him all to herself! No fair!'

'Rukia-sama, my boyfriend says I need kissing lessons. Would I be able to practice that with you!'

Rukia was slowly getting mobbed again. You certainly couldn't underestimate the mighty power of moes. They were all looking dreamy at her and showering her with affection. Some were even holding onto her shoulders, arms, and hands and even stroking her hair! Despite being a girl herself, Rukia still found herself blushing!

_Even __**I**__ have fangirls!_

Above the crowd she managed to spot a petite but familiar girl. Hisana was busy looking at the fluffy teddy bears. It had been two days since they went to the countryside yet Rukia still didn't have the opportunity to speak to her again since she went missing. She had to say something now.

'Hisana...'

She braved it and fought her way through the girls, ignoring all their flirting and touching. It didn't ever occur to her that all everyone saw was a boy desperately approach a girl, apologise for his previous behaviour and asked her to join him for dinner so he could make it up to her. All the girls were gasping. They didn't sound impressed. Were they a little bit jealous too?

'Who is Rukia-sama talking to?'

'He's inviting her to dinner!'

'Like a date!'

'Rukia's asking Hisana out on a date!'

Rumours like these were flying around, eventually reaching the twins nearby. They watched, somewhat unbelievably, while Rukia and Hisana walked inside the school. Ashido felt a little discomfort deep inside him as he looked on.

'Rukia...' A small pang in his heart reflected in his shaky voice.

* * *

'Welcome, welcome!'

Inoue Orihime greeted all of her new customers as they entered into the classroom which she used as her restaurant. Of course, students were able to use classrooms for their schools and Orhime decided to offer her cooking skills for charity. The room was small and seemed rather empty.

The young girl was dressed in a black and white French maid's outfit which drew attention to her huge bust and skinny waist. She even wore a frilly white headband over her incredibly long orange hair. She handed out menus to each of her customers as Rukia and Hisana sat down at an incredibly small coffee table.

_Are we supposed to eat on this?_

'We are serving two dishes today.' Orihime moved her long fringe to the back of her ears and secured it with a green flower hairpin on either side.

'We have my specially designed, roast beef topped with cheese jelly and ginger ice-cream?'

Rukia just stared at Orihimie open-mouthed. What she didn't know was that Orihime enjoyed putting strange food combinations together. Let's just say not a lot of people were a fan of that dish!

'Cheese jelly?'

'Mmm,' Orihime nodded, 'cheese is the best food ever invented! I tried making cheese ice-cream but it didn't go so well.' Rukia tried to smile, glad that she didn't succeed in the creation.

'I think we'll pass on that one,' the angel said politely.

'Okay, so will you have the sushi dish?' Rukia checked it over with Hisana.

'Arigatou. That would be perfectly adequate,' she answered in her tentative tone.

'Okay. We also have red chilli milkshake or coriander juice for drinks,' she continued promoting her own menu.

'We'll stick with water,' Rukia tried to state without sounding nervous. She secretly wondered how on Earth the sushi would taste like!

'Thank you, Rukia-san, Hisana-san.' Orihime smiled, collected the menus from them and then disappeared into the kitchen.

* * *

'Out of the way!'

'Wait up, Ashido!'

Ashido wasn't paying much heed to his brother's plea. He was charging through the school to locate Rukia and Hisana. It was impossible to get free from all the moes and he eventually lost sight of them. Now, he was running from classroom to classroom like a mad man trying to find them again. His heart was also racing ahead.

_What is this I'm feeling?_

_Is it... jealousy...?_

_I... Me jealous... Rukia...?_

'Wai-' Before Ichigo could call after him again he had tripped over his two own feet and fell face down onto the floor. 'Ouch!'

'What do you think you are doing?' this deep voice came from nowhere but already seemed annoyed.

'Byakuya?' Ichigo pulled himself up. 'Can't talk now. Rukia's on this dinner date with-'

'Oi! Ichigo! I've found them!'

'Hai!' and with that he dashed off leaving an equally shocked Byakuya in the hallway. Curiosity was getting the better of him. He treated the on-lookers to his speciality flash-step. What was going on? Had he heard wrong?

_Rukia... on a dinner date... with who...?_

* * *

'The room is now ready for you,' Orihime announced.

'Huh? I thought we were eating here?' Rukia questioned, puzzled at the ordeal.

'It wouldn't be practical to eat out here. A more private room is required,' Orihime explained. 'Come this way.'

'Oh, okay,' the angel hesitated at first but stood up to follow her regardless. Hisana did the same.

'Rukia!' She turned round to see the twins at the entrance.

'Ashido? Ichigo?' Byakuya appeared from behind them.

'Cheeky-san?'

'Rukia...' his deep voice dragged her name out slowly.

What a picture that stood before her. He wore a figure sculpting white shirt with skinny black jeans. Was this a super model coming towards them? She admired how he seemed to look gorgeous even in the most simplest of clothes.

_Did I just say admire...?_

'Are... Are you two,' he paused to look at Rukia, then Hisana then back at Rukia again, 'having dinner?'

'Yes, you are also welcomed to join us.'

Rukia didn't see any problem with it all, until they went inside the room that is. In the middle of the room was a low rectangular table set in the centre. The sushi also looked exquisite. The problem was that food was served on plates like normal table etiquette but it was served on a female body, a _naked_ female body to be precise! Nyotaimori, the use of the human body as a platter was actually quite common in Japan but none of the parties in the room had ever experienced such a thing. They were all blushing fiercely, apart from Byakuya of course, as they admired how the sushi and sashimi decorated all over the tan-coloured lady like a piece of artwork. Her body was curvaceous and glowing.

'Enjoy your meal,' Orihime bid them.

The door closed behind them but did they dare eat? Forget about that. None of them seemed to want to move, all waiting for someone else to make the first move. And no matter how much they wanted to look away they couldn't take their eyes off at the figure lying perfectly still on the dining table. She was totally naked apart from skin-coloured lacy panties which were hidden under a huge decorating leaf and various sushis on top. Her nipples were barely covered by sashimi and the curves of her impressive breasts were for all to see.

'Did your Mama ever tell you it was rude to stare?' The naked lady finally spoke. 'Sit down; you're making the place look untidy.'

The students did as they were ordered and shuffled forward. The twins were pushing each other and Ashido managed to bully his brother to sit down on the little mats on the floor first, next to the lady's head. Ichigo caught the glimpse of her long purple hair which was pulled up into a high ponytail but he flinched away the moment he connected with her golden eyes. A huge blush formed over him, threatening to burn his face off. Suddenly, the classroom's blackboard seemed more interesting than usual. The girl chuckled to herself.

'Ichigo, are you sure you don't want to look? You may never get to see a naked lady again!'

Shihoin Yoruichi teased playfully in her usual witty manner. The student was never embarrassed about nudity, even enjoyed stripping off to see people's reactions. Well, you couldn't blame her for her confidence really. The girl had a perfect body with curves in all the right places.

How on Earth Byakuya could keep a straight and stoic face was a complete mystery. He stood on the other side, hovering over Yoruichi's face. There was no sign of temptation at all. Yet, it was a complete different matter to when he saw half of Rukia's body in the shower or even just seeing her in a wet shirt. Was it because only she could captivate his attention?

_Only Rukia..._

Rukia stopped her own tracks when she realised this was the perfect opportunity for Byakuya and Hisana to bond. She could arrange it so that they could sit together. Although she hadn't really done anything to raise money for charity but at least this could be her good deed of the day? Secretly, she knew she was getting dangerously attached to the human world, to Byakuya. She had to set them up as quick as possible before she would regret it.

_Am I already regretting it...?_

'Hisana, come here...'

Rukia took Hisana's hand and gently pulled her closer. The timid girl blushed at the intimate contact. This didn't go unnoticed as Ashido leaped up from his seat and pointed towards their hands.

'Oi! What are you two doing!' he demanded, not sounding at all jealous. His sudden cry made Rukia flinch and tear her hand away from Hisana.

'N-Nothing, I just wanted Hisana to sit here...' What she meant was she wanted Hisana to sit next to Byakuya but it sounded as though she wanted Hisana to next to _her_. Ashido furrowed his eyebrows.

'Why? Can't I sit there?'

_Would you want me by your side?'_

'So you want to sit next to Rukia, right?' Ichigo teased, briefly forgetting about Yoruichi's existence. Come to think of it, so did everyone else as they quarrelled.

'Eh... Well, not me as such... I mean...' Ashido blushed. What was happening to him. He never lost his cool like this.

'I was just asking... Well, anyone could sit there, right? Me, Byakuya or anyone really... Why does anyone in particular have to...' He looked at Hisana suspiciously.

'The air condition is much stronger in the centre so I shall sit in the middle,' Byakuya declared to resolve the situation.

_Or did I just want to sit next to Rukia?_

'Fine, whatever.' Ashido reluctantly sat back down and scrunched up his arms towards his chest. He seemed frustrated and disappointed. Did_ he_ secretly want the seat for himself?

'Food's getting cold,' Yoruichi moaned.

'Sushi_ is_ cold, baka,' Ichigo deadpanned.

'Well, what's stopping you then? Try this.' Yoruichi pointed towards her left boob. 'This one taste's the best.' Ichigo was sure she meant the salmon sashimi on her nipple but cleverly referred to her chest as well. Of course, Ichigo blushed more and was unable to retort back.

'What's the matter?' She cocked her head. 'Cat got your tongue, eh?'

NNNGGGGG

'Heh, heh, gomen, gomen.'

Rukia laughed most unnaturally, embarrassed at the fact that her stomach was rumbling. How long ago had it been since she last ate? Come to think of it she hadn't eaten anything all day except for the candy floss and even then she didn't have much of that, thanks to Ichigo. She scratched the back of her head, too shy to begin eating of the naked girl.

Byakuya swiftly took his wooden chopsticks in his long fingers and picked up several egg sushis and placed it onto her porcelain dish. He then proceeded to begin eating himself.

_Eggs are one of your favourite dishes, right...?_

'Arigatou, Cheeky-san...' She could feel a spot of pink on the tops of her cheeks.

_Is it possible that he knew...?_

She shook her head, her thoughts away. It didn't matter, right? His true loves was the girl sitting on his other side, right?

'Cheeky-san,' she whispered, 'Hisana's too embarrassed to eat.' Byakuya took the hint and also helped the other girl to some sushi. We were increasingly seeing a kinder, softer side to Byakuya-

_Because of you..._

_For no one else..._

'Arigatou.'

Hisana's voice was as gentle as always. There was definitely a little cute blush forming but she built up all the courage she had for this moment. Slowly, but surely, she scooped up some wasabi with her chopsticks and stirred into her dish of soya sauce. Then, she dipped a tuna sushi into the mixture before placing it onto Byakuya's eating dish.

'Byakuya-sama likes spicy food, right?' she asked, although she already knew the answer.

'Arigatou,' Byakuya offered.

'How do you know what Byakuya likes?' Ashdio felt like teasing. It clearly worked though since Hisana's blush deepened.

'It is in my interest to know about everything what Byakuya-sama likes, ' she openly replied and briefly glanced at Rukia.

_What I would give to be liked by Byakuya-sama too..._

_Even if I was simply one of many..._

A firm tap came from the door behind them before someone opened it. The prefect stood alone in the gangway and gave a smirk at the naked Yoruichi.

'You know, Rukia, if I had known you were into this I'd be more than happy to personally be your Nanataimori.' The angel remained quiet, not knowing Ulquiorra was referring to the male sushi body presentation.

'Nonetheless, I'm afraid I'm going to have to interrupt your dinner and borrow Hisana for a moment,' Ulquiorra explained, prompting Hisana to stand up.

'Indeed. How may I assist you, Prefect-san?'

'I'd be grateful if you could take part in my charity event and help me t-'

'No, that won't be necessary,' Rukia jumped in. She couldn't let Byakuya's true love kiss someone else. That would be the total opposite to what she was here for!

'Well, of course not if Rukia you could help with my auction instead?'

'Auction?' Ulquiorra nodded innocently.

'O-Oh... Okay...'

_Well, there's no harm in an __**auction**__, right?_

Or so she thought...

* * *

'This isn't quite the auction I was thinking of...' Rukia muttered from the stage, rather annoyed with herself.

'Too late to back out now!' The twins toyed from the front of the audience.

This final charity event of the day had captured the entire crowd because, what Ulquiorra failed to mention that this was no ordinary stand. It was a human auction! There were three 'items' up for sale, one of which was obviously Rukia. Normal rules of the auction applied. Everyone were allowed to bid for the 'item' they wanted. The highest bidder would then 'own' the 'item' for a day and 'item' would have to comply to everything (well almost everything!) the winning bidder requests! Rukia.

'Our third and last item of the day,' the auctioneer began, 'Orikasa Rukia, aged 17, male.' The girls were all cheering or screaming out her name or something about their love for her. She couldn't help but give a wry smile, finding it slightly funny how many fans she had despite being a girl but then also wondering how this will end.

'Each bid goes up 50 yen each time a hand is raised. Bidding begins at 500 yen.' The auctioneer began it by the hammering of his wooden gavel against a wooden sound block.

'Five hundred yen! Is that all I'm worth!'

Rukia was offended, furious too. She threw an evil scowl at the auctioneer. If there weren't other teachers watching she might have even threw her shoe at him! How dare he start at such a low price!

'Do I see 500 yen anywhere?' the auctioneer continued the bidding without Rukia's consent. The girls were all too keen to raise their hands up like they were taking part in an out of synch Mexican wave. The auctioneer could barely keep track of which hand went up first.

'We have 500 yen with this lady at the front.' It went on and on. Unfortunately, Rukia had a lot of fangirls.

'1000 yen from the girl in the purple kimono.' Sode no Shirayuki smiled faintly at Rukia. Ashido turned his trouser pockets inside, finding them empty.

'Dammit! I can't even make a single bid!' he cursed.

'And what were you intending to do with Rukia if you did win him?' Ashido blushed and pouted.

'I...' His imagination ran wild. It was probably best if he didn't voice them after all.

'2000 yen!' Surprisingly, this vote actually came from the first male bidder. He had taken a shower but Szayel was still mad. 'I'll get you to be my slave, midget!' A pale white hand raised his hand elegantly.

'10,000 yen,' Ulquiorra announced and captured everyone's attention. You could also hear how the crowd sucked in some air all together at the same time. Even Rukia was impressed but then wasn't looking forward to what Ulquiorra might get her to do...!

'50,000 yen,' the prince said in such a calm tone like money was no object. Others were whispering at how exciting the bidding war was getting.

_Like I'm going to let Rukia fall into __**your **__hands_

Rukia smiled, delighted that Byakuya was bidding... for _her_! The prefect smirked and exchanged looks with Byakuya.

'60,000.'

'70,000.'

'80,000.'

'90,000.'

'100,000.' A massive gasp was earned as they reached the incredible figure. Byakuya, on the other hand was getting tired of this. He wanted this to end now.

'One million yen,' Byakuya said coolly but even he was shocked with himself.

_Do I really want to win Rukia that badly?_

'Oh, my God!'

'One million yen!'

'How many noughts is that!'

'Byakuya-sama is sooooo cool!'

'Wonder what he's gonna get Rukia to do?'

'Guys bidding for another guy is just gay.'

'Eek! Rukia-sama now belongs to Byakuya-sama!'

There was a quite a mixed reaction between the male and female students but they could all agree that it was a shocking value, not something that any normal student could produce anyway. Byakuya, as the prince, as the only heir in his family, had all the money in the country. One million was like pocket money to him but to see the delighted, elated look on Rukia's face – that was _priceless._ He felt happy when she was happy. Guess that was something that money couldn't buy.

_Money can't buy me love..._

'One mill... million yen going once!' The auctioneer's voice was shaky. He was just a student himself, an amateur. Neither could he afford such leisure.

'One million yen going twice!'

Ulquiorra remained quiet and just watched the looks exchanged between Byakuya and Rukia. Money wasn't an issue to him either but he wondered if it was worth it to spend that much in this situation. Did he want to compete with Byakuya whose fortune was practically limitless? He saw the determination behind Byakuya despite his cold demeanour.

'Sold! The crowd cheered in uproar. Byakuya was instructed to take to the stage to officially shake on the deal with the auctioneer and claim him 'prize'.

'Congratulations, Kuchiki Byakuya, Rukia is _yours_ for one day.' Something fluttered inside of Byakuya. He couldn't control it.

_Rukia... __**mine**__?_

The angel blushed. Byakuya's eyes were fixated on her.

_How wonderful it would be to truly __**belong**__ to Cheeky-san..._

* * *

Up high above in the school's white bell tower, where no one would look for them, two lean figures stood by the white pillars. Their robes flapped around, dancing with the soft wind. It was perfectly quiet there so they frequently met to talk in confidence. There were rumours that the tower was haunted as there were often sightings of white figures flying around there at night. All the students were too afraid to even step near the place.

Ulquiorra crushed his left eye which shattered into tiny pieces like glass. He owned this incredible power to record and play back any of the images he saw at will. He gathered his eye back to it's original form and fixed it back in place afterwards.

'Was there a point to this recording?' Hyorinmaru asked flatly.

'It was just a little experiment of mine, Sir.' Ulquiorra explained. 'But I have established some sort of connection between Rukia and Hisana.'

'Which is...?'

'I am not certain yet.'

'Then perhaps you should take a more serious attitude towards your investigation.' The superior gave him a cold, icy stare.

'We must know why Rukia is here at an all boy's school before I report her. A girl like her shouldn't be here.'

'Yes, sir...'

* * *

**Ooh so there you have it! Ulquiorra knew that Rukia is actually a girl! So many of you commented on how much of a homo Ulquiorra was throughout. You don't know how hard it was for me to keep this a secret until now! Can any of you pick up on something else in the scene?**

**I got this idea from this charity event I'm doing for work tomorrow. Yes, they've got me working on a Saturday! And it goes on until early hours of the morning! Did I also mention that I won't get paid for it either! (calm down, calm down...)**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this. Drop me a review and let me know what you think. It will motivate me to write. Hopefully, if work will permit it, I can update quicker! Come to think of it I have been so busy that I've only just realised that it's already been a year since I joined FF! Crazy huh!**

**Sadly, I think I will be discontinuing my first FF story, 'A Hunger for you.' It hasn't been updated for a long while because I lack the inspiration to continue with it. There are so many imperfections with it and I think my writing style has grown quite different to back then. I will leave it undeleted for now but maybe some other time I might re-write it or even start a new vampire Bleach fic. I am really sorry for those who waited so patiently for its update. Trust me when I say I am the most upset to see it discontinue. **

**Ja x**


	15. Bête Noire

**Hey, here I am with chapter 15 finally! Working 6 days a week has left me absolutely shattered. My family complains about me eating dinner with them only once a week even though we live in the same house! It's more like a hotel rather than my home at the moment. All I do is eat and sleep there really (sigh). My supervisor advised me to give up charity work I do on Saturdays since I'm working full-time at the law firm now but there's no way I do that especially when there aren't enough volunteers anyway. So, we will just soldier on! Many of you have hurried for an update so I did my best to squeeze in some typing though. I do sincerely feel bad making you guys wait so long for an update x**

**Big thanks to all the reviewers and the PM's for the previous chapter: - RukiaCHAN1, Miyoshi Murasaki, byarukixOxO, vicky73, ReckoningDay, silverqueen, seras3791, DRUON, L, Quill Princess, Taya Tempest, Nathalie Shiffer, LuciL06, YuzurihaNoRyuu, bluemoonparadox/round and round we go, isara-love, frasylolo and laurie. Each one matters to me soooooooo much! X**

**Miyoshi Murasaki: You might wonder if I had again pushed back that chapter I was talking about to you in the PM because of the title of the story. I have changed the title like 5 times as I wrote this chapter =p I've split it so the first half is here and the next half is in the next chapter. Sorry for the confusion x **

**ReckoningDay: Hope you'll enjoy this chapter too x**

**silverqueen: HeHe I quite like that gentleman quality in Byakuya so it's a common feature in this story =p I loved the human auction too. I would have died and gone to Heaven if two good looking guys such as Byakuya and Ulquiorra fought over me like that!**

**DRUON: Thank you x I enjoy writing Szayel's character because I can make him go completely insane! I guess he's sort of the'villan' in this story =p This chapter's probably a bit more angsty rather than funny but hope you'll enjoy reading nonetheless x**

**L: Thank you x If the majority consensus wants me to continue 'A Hunger For You' I will certainly consider it. For now I will just put it on hold on and concentrate on Cupids. Sorry to disappoint x**

**Taya Tempest: Sorry for the long wait. I've written a longish chapter to try to compensate that x**

**LuciL06: The human auction was definitely popular and to think it was only a last minute edition =p You'll be pleased to know more ByaRuki emotions develop in this chapter =p **

**Frasylolo: Sorry for the wait. Don't worry, I will definitely see this story to the end x**

**Laurie: I genuinely am sorry for making you wait and appreciate that you enjoy the story. I will try my best to update as soon as possible x ** **Anyway, let's begin with the story now...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own bleach just this story**

* * *

**B****ête Noire**

'Kiss.'

'Matsu-sensei...' Byakuya wanted to make sure he wasn't hearing things.

'Kiss Rukia.'

Rangiku didn't think she could make it any clearer. Judging by the uncomfortable look on Byakuya and Rukia's furious blush they had both got the message. Today was one of the first rehearsals and Rangiku wanted to run through the kissing scene since it was a new edit in the play. Despite the intimate requirement the two leads were standing like a metre apart from one another. Why the embarrassment? It wasn't like there was anyone else in the hall. Rangiku wanted to give them some privacy until they were comfortable with the scene but still neither of them moved. Their teacher sighed and folded her arms.

'Do you two _want_ to fail English, then?'

'Matsu-sensei, may we have more time to practice?'

_Practice? How many times do you want to__** practice**__ kissing Rukia!_

'Cheeky-san...' Rukia's voice was timid, it even cracked a little. 'It's okay.'

It was unconvincing. Although she tried her best to steady her heart it was still racing. Her nerves were all over the place and she couldn't fight against the blush over her cheeks. It was alright, she told herself, because she had prepared for the scene. She even chewed on a breath mint so that she smelt 'fresh'.

'Rukia...'

As he clutched the fabric by his leg into his fist, it was evident that Byakuya was nervous too. Truth be told was that he had been looking forward to the kissing scene. Back then, he was hoping, longing for it and now it seemed like she was answering his prayers. Still a little weary, making sure he wasn't forcing her into anything; he only leant in slightly towards her.

'It's okay, Cheeky-san,' she reassured him again. Her small hands weaved over to his arms for support. With a little tip-toe she reached up to the ever so towering prince. She arched her head to the side; lips edging dangerously close towards his.

'After all, I am yours...' She could feel his warm breath tickling the tip of her tongue, '...for the day...'

'_I'm yours...'_

'_Yours...'_

'_Kuchiki Byakuya,_ _Rukia is yours for the day..._'

'NOOOOOOOOOO!' A giant scream suddenly filled the dorm room.

'I WON'T LET IT! NO FREAKING WAY!'

Ashido shot up from his nightmare, startling his brother. It was already the next morning and Ichigo was about to wake his twin up from his deep slumber. Ashido was sat up shaking like a leaf and was gasping for some needed air. He was holding his head in both hands in some sort of turmoil.

'Oi, Ashido, are you okay?'

'Uh, was it only a dream, huh?' He relaxed a little, thanking God it wasn't reality. 'No, it was a _nightmare_, an awful, awful nightmare.' The image of Rukia kissing Byakuya was absolutely traumatic. It scared him to no end.

_Why was I dreaming about that!_

_What is this I'm feeling?_

A burning ball rolled inside his stomach. It was unsettling like some sort of compressed rage beginning to consume his mind too.

_Is this... __**jealousy**__?_

* * *

'Come over, Rukia-sama, it's okay,' Shirayuki assured her and waved her over.

Their teacher had asked for her to begin with the scene on many occasions but Rukia heard not a word, too engrossed with her own feelings. The angel was semi hiding in the curtain wings. There she had been waiting for several minutes unsure what to do or to be more accurate trying to figure a way out of this sticky situation and she had a strong argument for it too. There were a few justifiable embarrassing reasons as followed:-

One -

Rukia was rehearsing a _bed scene_ with Shirayuki.

Two:-

It was in front of the majority of the cast.

Three:-

She was made to wear to white linen dress which was rather _see-through_!

Four:-

**It was freaking in front of the majority of the cast!**

'Rukia! Get your bloody ass out here or I'll make you act the scene out in your underwear!' Rangiku threatened. The frightening reality was that everyone knew that she actually meant what she said!

Rukia took in a deep breath to calm her nerves. If she thought that she was already wearing another two undergarments to shield her modesty she wouldn't be so scared to face the audience. That sort of did the trick as her little feet braved it to come out. Her eyes flinched a little partly because of the sudden crack of daylight and partly because she was expecting an awful reaction from the crowd.

'Rukia-sama, you look adorable,' Shirayuki complemented.

Rukia could only offer a weak smile. Although she was being nice she couldn't ignore the fact that every pair of eyes were on them. And when she saw a familiar set of piercing grey pair of eyes boring at her it made her all the more nervous and bashful.

'Shirayuki, drop the honorific and get into your character. Rukia hop into bed with her,' their English teacher ordered. It was decided that the students could refer to each other in the play using their real first name. They would, however, use the character's surname to be true to the classic novel.

The angel widened her eyes. This scene was imminent. Shirayuki even reminded her about it only yesterday. Still, her heart was pounding. What was wrong with her? She was only getting into a bed with a _girl_! As she convinced herself that she had nothing to worry about she managed to walk up to the bed that took the centre stage. Gingerly, she crept into the bed, doing her best to ignore the most beautiful girl in the Shino Academy, no make that in the whole of Karakura Town, was also wearing a similar night dress and who shuffled closer to Rukia.

'Rukia, take it from 'How do you think of Mr Bingley?' Rangiku instructed and flicked through her script. Briefly, she thought her teacher looked pretty scary when she was in her serious mode. Literally she was pretty _and_ scary...

'H-Hai... Eh... How... How...'

Shirayuki could sense Rukia slowly falling apart but she felt it cute nonetheless. The beauty placed a comforting hand over the angels' and gave it a little squeeze for encouragement.

'Relax. You may say my name with no honorific.' Comforting those words may have been intended but still it didn't ease Rukia's nerves especially when she could feel Shirayuki's entire leg rubbing against her own.

'S-Shirayuki... How do you...' Rukia rolled up her sleeve to peek at a few cheating words she jotted down on the underside of her arm. 'How do you think of Mr Bingley?' Shirayukia gave her a loving smile.

'He is just what a young man ought to be,' said she, 'sensible, good humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! â€" so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!' Shirakyuki fell naturally into her character since she too was graceful and polite.

'He is also handsome,' added Rukia having finally found a steady voice; 'which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete.'

'Oh, Rukia,' she exclaimed and threw her arms up and wrapped herself around Rukia in what was supposed to look like sisterly love. 'I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment!'

'You..' Poor Rukia lost sight of her words again. The sudden intimacy which was not actually written in the script threw her off her balance.

_Why am I so nervous! _

_She can touch me like this because she's just a girl..._

_...right?_

* * *

'How do you think of Mr Bingley?'

'He is just what a young man ought to be, sensible, good humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! â€" so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!'

'He is also handsome, which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete.'

'You know they're talking about me right, Byakuya?'

The young man had his long black hair tied into a high ponytail with a silver ribbon with individual long strands falling on either side of his face, grey eyes and a pale complexion; an uncanny resemblance to the prince. Byakuya kept his eyes on the rehearsal.

'Obviously they don't know the _real_ you, Senbonzakura,' he scoffed.

'Ah, that's not nice to talk about your dear old cousin,' he moaned.

Kuchiki Senbonsakura, also a third year, fifth in line to the heir, was relishing in his cast as the loveable Mr Bingley, mainly because he got to play Shirayuki's love interest. Well, who wouldn't enjoy that role? However, Byakuya wasn't taking much notice of his cousin's nonsense. His time was occupied mostly watching Shirayuki flirt with Rukia.

'Oh, Rukia, I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment!'

Why did his eyes twitch when Shirayukia leaned so close to Rukia leaving not even a hair whisker of a distance between them? Why did he frown and bite his lip when she held Rukia's hand like a lover on a first date? Why was there a tight squeeze on his heart when she took Rukia into her embrace like she belonged only in her arms? Why...

_Why do I feel so __**jealous**__...?_

_Why am I jealous over a __**girl**__...!_

'Matsu-sensei, is it wrong of Sode no Shirayuki to make such an addition to the play without your permission?' Was that a little glimpse of Byakuya's mischievous side trying to get Shirayuki into trouble? Unfortunately, Rangiku wasn't falling for such move.

'Actually, I quite like the touch. It accentuates the extra special bond between Jane and Elizabeth compared to the other sisters. Maybe Rukia you could cup Shirayuki's face with both hands when you say, 'Dear Jane, you never see a fault in anybody etc.'

Byakuya's eyes twitched again before he turned away to leave. It was quite enough for him. This emotion he was feeling was alien to him. Never had he felt them twist in so many ways. Although he weren't sure if that was a good thing, one thing was for sure...

_I cannot allow anyone else touch you intimately be it a boy... or girl._

_The only one who can touch you is..._

_Is..._

_To see you touch someone else intimately..._

_... would simply be __**unbearable**__..._

* * *

'Right that was a good scene. Rukia, Shirayuki, well done to you both,' Rangiku congratulated. 'Take five minutes rest and then I want to rehearse page 150 with Rukia and Hisana.'

Rukia wasn't paying much heed to what her teacher had instructed. All she registered was that the scene was over and quite frankly she was glad of it. It did feel as though Shirayuki was giving her too much attention; kind of like a female version of Ulquiorra... Maybe less full on but still it was freaking Rukia out. Quickly, she dashed off stage only to be startled again.

'Hi-Hisana...?'

There was a questionable tone for Hisana did not look like herself today; hair dyed raven black and cut short, her usual frayed bang at the front of her face was now combed to point in one direction, her eyes were now more purple rather than the purple-blue as before. She looked very familiar. In fact, she looked-

_She looks like me...!_

'Rukia-san,' she softly greeted her and with a bow too.

'Hisana, you... you look... _differen_t...' Hisana shied away.

'I thought maybe with this look...'

_If I looked like Rukia-san..._

'Maybe Byakuya-sama would like me...'

Rukia widened her eyes. Immediately she felt guilty. This girl staring sadly on the wooden planks of the stage was Byakuya's true love but was forcing herself to become someone else in order to just get close to him. Rukia found a horrible pain streak inside her when she knew _she_ was the reason why Hisana had resorted to this. She wasn't setting the pair up-

_I'm selfishly keeping Cheeky-san all to myself..._

* * *

'What is this?'

Slight irritation coupled with frustration was duly noted in Byakuya's voice. His question was rather redundant since it was clearly evident that Ashido had pushed a bank cheque for one million yen in front of the prince's face. They seemed to be the first students to arrive on the plain field for their sports lesson.

'An exchange,' Ashido tried to explain.

'For what exactly?'

'Your date...' Ashido looked away to the side, hiding his blush. 'I mean your _day_ with Rukia.' He swallowed to rid himself of that lump of pride in his throat.

'Here's the money you spent at the human auction. All one mill-'

'Excuse me for disappointing you but Rukia is not up for sale,' Byakuya interrupted. 'And Rukia has already accepted my offer of dinner for tonight.' Ashido whipped his head round, refusing to take 'no' for an answer.

'How much do you want? I can offer you double the amount,' he pleaded. He'd have to be a slave to his father probably for the rest of his life and do chores for all eternity but still it would be worth it if he and Rukia could...

'There is no point in this conversation.' He closed his eyes and looked away coolly. With the most determination he could muster up he gave Ashido a definite answer.

'I wouldn't swap Rukia for all the money in the world.'

'Cheeky-san?' Both Byakuya and Ashido turned round to find Rukia standing right behind them.

'Rukia...' Byajuya couldn't bring himself to ask her...

_How much of our conversation did you hear?_

_What should I do?_

_Why can't I contain my feelings for you?_

'Oh, look, it's 4A,' one of the boys whispered as the top class in Year 4 begin to approach them with their prefect, Hyorinmaru leading the pack.

'Alright class, gather now and let the lesson begin,' Kisuke announced. He was casually waving his fan around while his assistant did all the hard work. 'Are we all here? It feels like we're missing somebody?'

'Ulquiorra is carrying out prefect duties,' Hyorinmaru flatly explained.

'Oh, what sort of prefect duties?'

Kisuke was just being nosy but Hyorinmaru wasn't going to share. He was tempted to say 'It's none of your business' but simply settled for, 'Nothing for Urahara-sensei to be concerned with.'

* * *

Ulquiorra scratched his head, staring at the room he had spent 15-20 minutes searching around. What was he even looking for? Hyonrinmaru ordered him to ransack Rukia's room to find anything that would explain why she was really at Sereitei for. Nothing of the sort could be found. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. No, that wasn't it. It was far more difficult than that because at least he then knew _what_ he was looking for. He literally hadn't a clue. In defeat, he let out a sigh and flopped onto the bed.

'Well, this hasn't been a complete waste of time. Maybe I could keep one of her bras as a souvenir?'

He chuckled to himself. Then he realised he had been lying on the one place he forgot to check. It may have been an obvious place to hide things but people did still place items under their pillow. He swiftly moved the white pillow then the white duvet but there was nothing under that either. Well, not quite nothing. The bed was covered with large white feathers, too large to be from a bird anyway. He picked one individual up to admire.

'What sort of activity has occurred in this bed for these feathers to spring out?' Ulquiorra's mind was now making things up. He knew Hyonrinmaru wouldn't be satisfied if he said he couldn't find anything...

* * *

'Woah!'

'Are those what I think they are!'

'Freaking dragons!'

'Mind your language.'

'I thought those were extinct?'

All the loud whispers went on back at the field as the little girl, who looked about five years old and weighing no more than 30 kg yet she had the surprising strength to drag five adult dragons by one long leather leash. She wasn't scared at all and even had a constant blush. Carefully, she removed the leash while ordering the animals to behave or else she would kick their butts.

'Thank you, Ururu, you may stand back now,' Kisuke ordered.

'Yes, Boss.' She bowed before doing as he said.

'Right, today, I will be teaching you how to tame a bête noire.'

'A what?' Ashido asked the question most of the students wanted answering.

'Bête Noire noire; your worst nightmare; your worst fear, but in this case,' he paused to nod towards the dragons, 'I quite literally mean the 'black beast.'

They all had an impressive huge body, carrying almost a tonne of muscle in weight each. They were all from the same species. Owners tended to keep family dragons together. This was a pack of brothers that were black all over with black lizard-like scales other than a grey belly. Each stood on all fours reaching as high as 15-20 feet tall. Gracefully they flapped their huge bat-like wings. All of a sudden one blew fire out of his mouth which prompted the rest to do the same like it was a competition. It scared the students to their wits end yet in absolute awe at the same time. There weren't many of these creatures about in the world. Only a handful of magic schools kept one so who could blame for all the fuss the boys were making when there were five dragons!

Hyorinmaru turned up his nose and began to walk away when Kisuke caught him just in time, 'And where do you think you're going?'

'This is child's play,' the Head Prefect snorted.

'Do you know that Hyorinmaru-sama excels in dragon handling?' It was true that he moved so swiftly in the air with the creature almost like he and the dragon become one.

'Then, why don't we make it more fun for you? Let's make it a competition between 4A and 3A.'

Kisuke made that suggestion when he knew full well that these two classes were rivals. They were always trying to outdo each other in exams, competitions, sports, everything. Class 4A always looked down on them and demanded respect since they were older and some argued to be wiser.

'Urahara-sensei, please would you excuse me from this needless competition,' Byakuya asked with a hint of frustration.

'Does the prince know he is no match of mine?' Hyorinmaru taunted.

'Never have I come second to you,' Byakuya pointed out but also ignoring the fact that they have only ever drawn. Neither of them have had a clear win.

'If you or your class members can complete the AGP in a faster time then us then you win.'

The head prefect was referring to the Aero Grand Prix, the air racing competition with mostly professional magicians taking part in it. The person who finished the race with the quickest time won the competition. However, extra time was deducted if you were able to demonstrate any acrobatic manoeuvres with your dragon or any exceptional behaviour. It was clearly a level way too advanced for these students.

'Remind me why must I take part?' It seemed like Byakuya was bored with this conversation already.

'Perhaps if you win I could change your dorm rooms as you very much desired,' Hyorinmaru waged.

'That will no longer be necessary,' the prince replied.

'Why the change of mind?'

Byakuya glanced secretly over to Rukia. At first, he really did want to change rooms but now it was different. He very much enjoyed where he currently was. To leave now would actually cause him much upset. He was looking at the reason why.

_Because of you..._

_Because I want to be close to you..._

'Or should I ask, 'Why the change of _heart_?'

Although Byakuya's was discreet Hyorinmaru noticed him looking at Rukia. He was managing to kill two birds with one stone as he tested Byakuya's connection with Rukia and conveniently toying with his emotions at the same time. It wasn't like there was some bad history between the two young men. In fact, there personalities were quite similar to one another but perhaps it was this exact reason why they didn't get one. Both were cold, serene and apathetic which most people misunderstood for arrogance. Perhaps the fact they were both from noble backgrounds meant that they were born to compete against each other and so naturally would not get along.

'Alright now, we won't be taking part in something quite as thrilling at the AGP.' Kisuke made an attempt to take back control of his lesson.

'However, I have set up a mini course for you to try out.' He waved his oriental fan over to what seemed like white rugby posts. The course meant that the students would have to snake around the field at different heights between the two white poles of the posts.

'The same rules for the AGP will apply but of course you don't have to push yourselves too hard.'

Quite a bit of muttering went on. It was all fun if it was just a normal lesson but now it was a competition between their biggest rivals which made them all the more nervous. They were all deliberating not to make a fool of themselves in front of the other class. Ururu instructed one of the dragons to march up close to everyone.

'So, who wants a ride on Fluffy first then?' Kisuke smiled with great anticipation.

'Seriously, '_Fluffy_'?' Rukia's eyes twitched. 'You make it sound like some sort of plushy...' she moaned under her breath.

'Orikasa-san, thank you for volunteering,' Kisuke suddenly announced.

'Huh? No, I didn't...'

'Don't worry, Fluffy doesn't bite,' he reassured her but she was still not convinced. Byakuya raised his hand to interject.

'Urahara-sen-'

'I'll go first!' Ashido interrupted the prince, determined to be the first to help Rukia. Quickly, he jumped up using as much physical strength as he could to reach up to the dragon's back. He managed to stand on the dragon but the beast didn't like the sudden extra load he was carrying and flinched, causing Ashido to wriggle on his feet. He fell forward onto the dragon's back but still put on a brave face.

'I'm okay, Rukia!' he shouted. 'There's no need to worry!' His dragon didn't like the sharp noise he was making and turned his head round to snort hot air out of its nose all over the twin. Actually, maybe it wasn't only hot air...

'EW!'

'Ha-Ha! He's got dragon snot all over him now!'

'I guess I deserved that...' Ashido muttered whist trying to wipe away the majority clear slime from his face. Indeed it was the dragon's way of telling the twin to shut up or perhaps behave himself. Although these dragons kept by the school were trained they were definitely nothing like domestic pets. They were, after all, medieval beats. Indeed they had their nerving temper to consider.

'Right,' Kisuke continued after he too chuckled to himself, 'Orikasa-san, as I was saying, you may mount the next dragon.'

'Eh...' Rukia trailed off, still very much reluctant of even the thought of it.

'Urahara-sensei, perhaps I could ride this one?' Byakuya offered instead.

'Of course, Kuchiki-san, there are _five_ dragons, enough for both you _and_ Orikasa-san. Now, come on, we don't have all day,' Kisuke hurried.

Before Byakuya took his position he gave a deflated look over to Rukia as if to say he was sorry that his efforts to help her failed miserably. She gave a half smile as if to thank his efforts despite the results. It was the thought that counted which was sweet enough.

'U-Urahara-sensei.' Her voice wavered slightly. 'What should I do?'

'Try getting onto the dragon?' The boys from class 4A sniggered at her.

'Do you want your mama to hold your hand!'

Again, the boys giggled at their inferiors. Rukia threw an annoyed look at them to keep them quiet but to no avail. All of a sudden the dragon stamped its foot onto the ground rocking Rukia around before falling onto her knees. No doubt the boys found that funny too.

'Take that, midget,' Szayel whispered under his breath.

'Are you a bit old to play around with plushies?' Ichigo couldn't help noticing the dragon like soft toy in the drama queen's hands. Szayel pulled a scowl at him.

'It's got nothing to do with you!' With that the drama queen ran off but Ichigo soon lost interest.

'Orikasa-san, here, let me help you.' Ururu knelt down, opened up her hands and placed them over her kneecap. It finally dawned on her that she was offering her a leg up to the dragon.

'Thanks,' Rukia check the height again and then back to the tiny little girl at her feet, 'but I don't think you're going to reach the-'

Before she knew it Ururu had picked her by the collar and the back of her shirt and threw her up into the air. She screamed as she flew up and just about managed to catch the saddle on the dragon's before she went a bit too far over it.

'Child's play,' Hyorinmaru snorted again to himself before he released sheets of ice from his hand to create a blue-green coloured crystal staircase to which he used to climb up to his dragon. A fellow classmate of his used shunpo to jump up his but everyone's eyes were more fixated on Hyorinmaru's cool demeanour.

'Okay,' Kisuke began once he had made sure they had all fastened their seat belts, 'if you can all start off by making your way to the start line I have already marked ahead of you.'

'Have you ridden a horse before? They are trained pretty much in the same way so give them a good old kick to get them moving. If you give them two short kicks-'

Ashido didn't wait for the rest of his teacher's explanation and carried the manoeuvre anyway. Boy did he regret it when his dragon bolted and took off to the sky.

'AAAHHHHHHHHHHH! STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!'

Despite Ashido's protests the beast flew higher and higher. It was so energetic and uncontrollable that the twin was close to wetting his pants! Even though he knew how to ride a horse all his training went a miss. His mind went completely blank for he was too scared to do anything. All he could do was yell which made the dragon fly around more aimlessly.

'Kurosaki-san, you might want to pull the leash to control him!' Kisuke helped despite cursing Ashido under his breath for not listening to him in the first place.

The elder twin tried to reach for the leash and pull at it but he was too scared to put enough force into the pull for the dragon to register it. His teacher sighed. 'Kuchiki-san, do you mind getting up there and assist Kurosaki-san?'

'Why is it necessary for me to do so?' Byakuya wanted to enjoy Ashido's torture for a little longer. It severed him right for playing so many tricks on him and Rukia.

'I sure hope Ashido doesn't hurt himself...' Rukia said as she looked on.

Byakuya could see the genuine worry in her eyes. As he ordered his dragon to take off he knew he was doing it just for her. It was like something had twitched deep inside of him. It was rather uncomfortable for him to see her upset and all he wanted was to wash that away.

_Anything for you..._

_God, I sound so hopeless..._

_Hopelessly in love..._

* * *

'Alright, midget, let's have some fun of our own...' Szayel whispered evilly to himself. He tugged at the wings of his plushy and, as if on cue, the wings of the dragon Rukia was on also flapped. The drama queen grinned wickedly.

'Oi,' Rukia spoke to her dragon when she could sense something was out of the norm. 'I haven't even kicked you yet...?'

Szayel proved her statement redundant by manipulating the animal. What he possessed was not a normal plushy. It was a rare voodoo doll which enabled him to control the real dragon's every move. Szayel sat down hidden behind the bushes nearby and watched as he ordered Rukia's dragon to go marching down the field.

'HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!' Rukia yelled as her dragon disobeyed even her efforts to tug at the leash. Even the wind almost knocked her off her seat as the creature flew into the sky at 100 miles per hour.

'Er...' she went accordingly as her diaphragm bounced every time she hit her saddle. Szayel couldn't stop laughing like a madman, clearly enjoying teaching Rukia not to mess with him.

'Urahara-sensei! This stupid thing's out of control!'

'Pull hard on the leash!' the teacher offered.

'What the Hell do you think I'm doing! It's not working!'

* * *

Byakuya finally caught wind of what was going on. He had managed to calm Ashido's dragon down and they had already landed on the field. Rukia's dragon was spiralling quite violently across the sky and eventually tossed Rukia out of her seat. His grey eyes grew wide open as he saw her slowly plummet downwards. If she should hit the ground she would seriously injure herself given the 10,000 feet drop!

'Rukia...'

He had to act fast. There was no time to get back onto the dragon and strap himself into the saddle. There was only one option he could take in order to save her. Huge pure white wings stretched open from his back as he ran as fast as he could to build up momentum. It was the form that his concentrated spiritual energy took. With those wings and immense power he was able to fly at an incredible speed.

'ShÅ«kei: Hakuteiken.'

* * *

Rukia's mind went blank. For a split second she thought of using her own wings to safety but then that would reveal her true identity. She wasn't a great flyer since she didn't need to use her wings much when in Heaven and never used them at all since she set foot in Earth. Did she even remember how to spread her wings? Maybe she could use some sort of magic to help her out of this situation? What sort of spell was there? Maybe she could teleport a trampoline for her to land on? What was the damn spell for that aga-

'Mphth...!'

Her purple eyes blinked rapidly. For a brief moment she actually thought she had crashed onto the floor. She welcomed the excruciating pain although it never came. In fact, she could feel a soft, warm texture wrap around her tightly. The sunlight blinded her vision momentarily when she looked up for a better view. Grey eyes met with hers. His strong arms clutched around her petite body harder.

'Cheeky-san...' She couldn't help but notice the obvious. 'Your wings...?'

_Is he some sort of angel?_

_Baka! Of course he isn't! _

_Although I'm still not able to detect other angels I know Cheeky-san is definitely __**not **__an angel! _

'Are you okay?' Byakuya's words sounded desperate. He was praying so hard to make it in time to catch her. Never had he ran and flew so fast in his life.

'It... It was so scary...' She could feel herself getting nervous again.

'It's okay, Rukia,' Byakuya assured her as he held her closer to his chest. 'You're safe now.'

Rukia let out a quiet sigh and leaned into him. That blush of hers somehow had reappeared too. Closing her eyes as she whispered, 'Yes, now that I am with you...'

_Whose is this rapid heartbeat I can hear?_

_Is it mine...?_

_Or is it..._

* * *

'Chianti Rosato, La Porta di, Kuchiki-sama,' the waiter announced the most expensive wine of the Ivy Restaurant as he poured the rosÃ© wine into a deep glass with a narrow neck to direct all the smells to the drinker's nose.

Byakuya took the wine glass by the crystal stem and sipped at the pink liquid. After tasting numerous brands the prince finally gave the nod of approval, 'Mmm, this is perfectly adequate.'

'Arigatou, I'll chill one on the side for you, Kuchiki-sama.'

The waiter dismissed himself leaving Byakuya alone to truly take in the beauty of the restaurant. It was one of the classiest in the town. Deliberately he made a reservation in the private room. Fewer customers sat there; perfect for a first date who may have felt a little nervous. There was a piano tucked into a corner and the pianist could play whichever song that was especially requested. There were colourful collections of modern artwork scattered across the cream coloured room. Fresh flowers were bought daily to dot around every table over a crisp white table cloth. Slightly dimmed spotlights and tall white candles were used to give the room to give a soft warm glow. But perhaps the feature of the room most worthy to talk about were the glass windows. It had diamond-shaped segments and some were stained blue, yellow and red. But Byakuya relished in the private nature the most as he stood at the small bar in the middle of the room while he waited for Rukia to turn up.

'Byakuya-sama.'

Briefly, he allowed himself to be deceived despite knowing Rukia didn't refer to him in that way. He was filled with much confusion to find the wrong girl by his side when he turned round.

'Hisana? How is it that you're here?'

Though she looked demure and graceful in her black dress, matching really well with his own black tuxedo, he couldn't disguise his disappointment in the question. It even sounded like he didn't want to see her. Then something clicked. He didn't know why but he guessed what had happened.

'Rukia...'

* * *

The rain was beginning to turn heavy, there was no umbrella at hand but still Rukia wouldn't move. Although the lights were low she could just manage to see him leaning at the bar. Despite not being able to fully see how Byakuya looked she already knew he looked handsome, as he always did.

The moment she confirmed that Hisana met up with him at the restaurant was Rukia's cue to retreat. Why she was even there was still a little mystery even for herself. She kept convincing herself she was there in case if anything went wrong but she knew deep down she was only a whisper away from changing her mind. In a torment of guilt she had pretended to go to dinner with Byakuya in order to set him up with Hisana.

Suddenly, she stopped walking. The rain came crashing down like the Heavens had just opened. All her clothes were soaked through. It was almost certain that she was attracting curious looks from other members of the public, possibly thinking she was weird. None of it mattered. There was this knot tightening inside her. It was growing more and more uncomfortable the more she thought about Byakuya with Hisana, them spending a lovely time together, and, possibly deepening their bond. This was her mission. This was the sole reason why she was here. This was what she told herself over and over again. It was no use though. It was time to be absolutely honest with herself...

Bête noire?

_Perhaps my biggest fear is that..._

_I have fallen for you..._

_Little by little..._

_More and more with each day that passes..._

She looked up to the sky to search for some guidance. Or maybe she was looking to her true homeland.

_This place..._

_This place is not where I should be..._

The heartless rain continued. Her hair clinged to her face. Her body shivered all over desperately craving for some warmth and some new clothes. However, she was stuck there in her predicament. She collected her feet and began to run, to run from this mess she was getting into.

_If I must eventually leave this place then all these things would be nothing but shackles..._

_Sympathy..._

_Friendship..._

_The feeling of closeness..._

_Love..._

She winced at the last word, unable to continue running anymore.

_None of these are necessary for my mission here!_

_You're such a mess Rukia!_

_I have involved myself in this world a bit too long after all..._

* * *

**So there you have it! Hopefully you can keep up with it as a lot had gone on. Plus, I decided to introduce some other characters i.e. Shirayuki and Senbonsakura (not sure if this would be a side pairing yet...). Do lend me any of your thoughts you have on these characters and if you want to see more of other characters =)**

**The ending is a little canon from the early episodes just before Renji and Byakuya come to collect Rukia from the human world. I thought the emotions mirrored hers in Cupids. **

**Spoiler alert ***

**Some of you may have realised that Hisana's appearance didn't match in the manga but it was because I had planned this scene to show how desperate she wanted Byakuya to notice her. And did you see in the latest chapters of the manga where Rukia has cut her hair short? I squealed because it was exactly how I imagined her to look like in Cupids! I wonder if they read this story... Well, I can dream, can't I? Lol **

**Spoiler end ***

**Right, I'm rambling on, so, I hope you all enjoyed reading this despite the long wait. I think we're about halfway into the story and I've already been planning the last few chapters =p Please drop me a review on your views on this chapter. I cherish each and every one of them x**

**On a side note, today is Remembrance Day, if you could spare a little time, please consider all those who fought and died during the World War. Thank you x**

**Ja x**


	16. My Kryptonite

**Hi to those are still interested in this fic! Thank you for your patience! And thank you for those who PM'd me – I am still alive and well! My apologies for such a delay may be redundant so I thought I'd share with you what had kept me from updating sooner. **

**My holidays before Christmas were cancelled as we had two new emergency cases. In one case, the local authority removed a baby from the care of its parents as they thought that they were giving drugs to the baby. It turned out to be a false alarm and now the family are united again.**

**The other case is about the mother fleeing to another country with our client's children without his consent. Sadly the children have still not been returned to our client but we will continue to battle on... **

**And we have recently received another emergency case involving where it is alleged that the husband was inflicting emotional and physical abuse on his wife. Honestly, I have been running around with case files like a mad woman lately! But I felt terrible and couldn't bear to make you guys wait any longer so I stayed up a couple of nights to finish this update! Please excuse any spelling mistakes as I only gave it a quick proof read.**

**Anyway, I want to thank those who reviewed for the previous chapter: Nathalie Shiffer, Miyoshi Murasaki, round and round we go, ReckoningDay, sphinx, phoenix, YuzurihaNoRyuu, LuciL06m vivk76, silverqueen, DRUON, L, seras3791, Miki-canmo, Quill Princess, frasylol, laurie and an anonymous reviewer. **

**ReckoningDay: Sorry for the delay. Hope this chapter was worth the wait! X**

**Sphinx: I am sorry that my storyline makes you miserable... Not exactly sure what to say to that. All I can say is that in this circumstance, Rukia is a fairly young angel which is why she was immature enough to play with Cupid's arrows in the first place. There are different types of angels so I guess their level of powers differ accordingly...**

**Phoenix: Hi, are you Phoenix of the Air? Wasn't quite sure... It will be explained how Ulquiorra and Co know Rukia's real identity later on in the story which is another twist in the plot =p. I am glad that you are enjoying it as I have so much fun writing it! X**

**LuciL06: Don't worry, I don't intend to drag out the sadness for very long =p Thank you so much for the compliment! **

**Silverqueen: Hey sorry for making you wait so long for the update. I actually feel really sorry for Hisana... maybe I should give her a happy ending...?**

**DRUON: Don't worry, this story will have a happy ending. I don't like sad, teary stories so I don't tend to write them =p Thank you for the compliment! X**

**L: I was awfully cruel to make you wait for so long! I will try to fit in some time for a quicker update next time. Hope this chapter is worth the wait! X**

**Quill Princess: Sorry I didn't reply to your question earlier. Well, if you remember the scene where Byakuya brings out his 'wings'? They are actually made up of his spiritual energy. Apparently, he can actually use the 'wings' to fly in the anime. Cool, huh? =p x**

**Fraysylolo: Thank you for the suggestions. I really do welcome them. This too is more of a development chapter but I think we make a lot of progress... Let me know what you think =) x**

**Laurie: I am sorry for making you wait for so long. I think I will definitely feature Toshiro-kun again in this story. Hope you enjoy this update! x**

**Isara-love: I forgot to mention that it's also correct to use single quotation marks i.e. '...'. Some may use double quotation marks i.e. "..." in speech but it is only a matter of preference. In Britain and the Commonwealth countries, single quotation marks are used rather than double. I use single quotation marks and always have done =p x **

* * *

**My Kryptonite**

'Byakuya-sama, the rice dumplings are ready now. Would you like the appetiser to be served?' The waiter enquired.

'Byakuya-sama has already ordered?' Hisana was a little perplexed at the idea.

'Yes, my lady,' the waiter greeted her with a bow first, 'Byakuya-sama ordered my lady's favourite dish well in advance.' Hisana was confused since Byakuya had not known she was turning up so...

_Rukia-san..._

_Byakuya-sama went to the trouble for..._

'I see...' That hint of disappointment in her voice was distinctively evident. Momentarily, Byakuya felt guilty about it but then quickly casted it aside.

'Unfortunately, I must take my leave for I have a prior engagement I must keep.' Byakuya tried to ignore how uncomfortable he felt as he lied.

'I will settle all payment before I go. Please excuse me.' He turned on his heels ready to depart. It wasn't like him to let a girl dine alone. Those were not manners he was brought up with but he had to find Rukia. It felt like some betrayal if he were to stay with Hisana.

'Byakuya-sama...' He turned to the side to face her slightly but he had an inkling feeling he didn't want to hear what she was about to say.

'I informed Rukia-sama of our engagement.' It was her own subtle way to warn Rukia off and marking her territory. She could muster up all her courage if it was for Byakuya's sake.

'Who gave you that permission?'

Despite being a master of his own emotions Byakuya could not avoid being angry. Although he had only raised his voice slightly, it was evident how irritated he was. His grandfather had arranged this engagement without his consent not that he expected otherwise. As a royalty, it was the norm to choose a partner from an aristocrat or another royal family. This rule had never been broken neither was Byakuya in the habit of going them against. He lad long accepted this fate he was born into, however, his views on this had changed over these past few months.

The prince was certain about the way he felt about Rukia and most definitely no longer wished for the engagement. Those views of his were hinted to his grandfather but it seemed that the head of the Kuchiki clan took no notice of it. In a way, Byakuya had already anticipated his grandfather's reaction, after all, the 'Kuchiki name and reputation always comes first' and Byakuya always respected that way of the clan but when it came to his own love interest...

'Oji-sama may set out the path but it is I who decides whether to walk it...'

'Byakuya-sama...' It was Hisana's one last attempt to persuade him but unfortunately her feelings just couldn't reach him as he left the restaurant with all the intention of trying to find Rukia.

* * *

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!

A driver sounded his horn several times to warn Rukia out of the way. It made her look up finally to discover she was in the middle of the road, clearly ignoring the pedestrian traffic lights. She tried to work out where she was but she just didn't recognise any of the features or the street. Had she been walking around aimlessly? How long had she been lost in her thoughts?

BEEP-BEEP!

Another driver told her to wake up from her daze and move out of the way of the cars. Hurriedly, she staggered backwards to the walking pavement and sat inside a bus shelter when she really should have just walked over to the other side. Had she really lost all logic? And for who? A mere human?

_Pull yourself together, Rukia!_

The rain had stopped but only for the weather to turn for the worst. Severe cold harsh winds howled across the city. Little white flakes began to flutter around. Her eyes widened.

_Snow...? But that would mean..._

A few lines of warm salty fluid trickled down her face. It was then when she realised she was actually shedding tears. She was an angel with ice-based powers and therefore her tears where making it snow in the human world.

_Stop this, you idiot! Why are you crying!_

But no matter how much she tried she couldn't hold back the tears. If anything the tears just came pouring out. Her tears would not cease even if she desperately tried to stop. As a young angel, she still couldn't control her powers or emotions well.

_Hisana is Cheeky-san's true love..._

_She's his fiancé..._

_Besides... I'm an angel..._

_What do you call it when an angel falls for a human?_

_Oh, that's right..._

_Fruitless..._

_This is a fruitless love..._

But it was no use. Rukia couldn't suppress her overwhelming feelings. She was already in too deep.

_What should I do?_

_I'm in love with Cheeky-san..._

'Rukia!'

She jolted from the sudden shout out for her. It was just one word but the voice was clear as day to her. It definitely belonged to Byakuya. He came looking for _her_. He had left Hisana for _her_. He was choosing _her_ over Hisana. Could she cling onto that little hope that was creeping slowly back into her heart?

* * *

'Rukia!'

Byakuya had shouted out in frustration. He had been running up and down the streets nearby the restaurant to look for her but to no avail. He had a strong feeling that she was around and the need to speak to her. If he didn't he felt like he was going to lose her.

_Where could she be...?_

* * *

Ironically, Rukia was being shielded from Byakuya by the bus shelter and she was hiding behind the advertisement between them. She dared not to move. Despite her feelings she knew the reality very well.

_A fruitless love..._

Uncontrollably, she took a quick glimpse at him and quickly returned to her hiding spot before he detected her. His clothes were soaked through and through.

_Why doesn't he just give up? _

_Will he not go home until he finds her? _

_Surely he would he catch a cold if he didn't dry off soon? _

Little by little more guilt was seeping inside her. She wasn't prepared to take responsibility if he became ill because he was looking for her. She bit her lip, weighing up her options. After taking a deep breath and wiping her tears dry she convinced herself to order Byakuya drive her back to dorms. When her little feet finally picked up some courage and walked out from under the bus shelter he was already gone. There was no sign of him. Typically, he had moved onto another street to continue his search. Deep inside, Rukia was kicking herself.

'Cheeky-san...'

_To keep my distance from you is perhaps the way it should be but..._

_Oh, my heart, my brain, my logic, tell me what is this painful wrenching deep in my chest...?_

The red autumn leaves blew around as it began to snow again which seemed to fall nonstop this time. She covered her mouth with her hand to muffle her cries as the flakes thickened...

* * *

Deep into the huge library, tucked away in between the mountains of book you found Rukia sitting with her back resting on the high shelves. A book laid open in her lap but she couldn't tell you what it was about nor what the title was since she wasn't actually reading it. In fact, she had no reason to be there.

She had no homework to be done because she had spent almost every waking hour in the library ever since the dinner date. She would go there straight after her classes and returned to her dorm only when it was really late at night to avoid Byakuya as much as she could. The only time she saw him was in class but she had swapped seats with Ashido so he was sitting next to Byakuya and Rukia had her back to him. Despite today being Saturday she was still spending it there. She just couldn't face him or to be correct she shouldn't. If she spent any more time with him all her resolve may melt away and she would change her mind, ignore Heaven's realm and fall for him. She folded her arms and buried her head into her lap.

'I'm getting depressed again...'

'BOO!'

'ARGH!'

Rukia almost jumped up to the ceiling. The twins had sneaked up behind the shelf she was resting on, removed the books for easy access and bellowed her name out loud while she was dazing off! No sense of remorse was shown as the boys rolled around the floor and giggled away.

'Did you see, Rukia almost wet his pants!'

'Did you see him fly into the air!' The brothers laughed so hard it almost hurt them to continue. Rukia stormed over to them and threw her book at them with meaningful force. It wouldn't matter if she hurt them as they deserved it.

'You idiots! I was genuinely scared out of my wits!'

'Duh! That was the idea!' Ashido deadpanned and chuckled some more.'

'Why you... I'm gonna kill you!' They weren't paying much heed to her still so she marched over to them and threw punches at the twins although they weren't exactly strong.

'Oh, that tickles, Rukia! Here, do my back as well!' Ichigo retorted. It felt like Rukia was giving him a massage than anything else.

'Uh!' Rukia let out in annoyance and frustration. In a mild rage she grabbed the boys by the backs of their hair and bumped the two together.

'Ow! That hurt!' They both said at the same time while rubbing their sore foreheads.

'That was the idea!' she cleverly used the same line as them.

'Well, we at least got you out of your depressed mood, right?' Ashido asked with a slight pout.

'Huh?'

'These past few days you've become so quiet and depressed I hardly recognised you. I just...' Ashido hesitated, 'I mean we were worried about you.' Rukia's eyes widened.

_Was it that obvious?_

However, Ashido's words brought a wry smile to her face. To think that they cared for her in that way to be concerned made her feel a little special. Ashido blushed at the sight.

'You're happy again. Thank goodness... I mean...' He scrambled around to find words seemingly less homo. 'I mean... It's fun being to toy with you. It's been so boring lately and we can't go outside because it has been snowing on-off for the past few days.' A little sweat broke out as he wondered if that was a good enough cover.

'Boring?'

'Yeah, with you in the library and with Byakuya ill it's been so dead in the dorm room,' Ichigo explained.

'Cheeky-san is ill? What's wrong with him? Who's looking after him?' Did she sound a little too concerned firing all these questions all at once? The brothers weren't sure which answer to give first.

'Well he's coughing, sneezing and spewing everywhere.'

'Last I saw he had flopped onto his bed like a bed fish,' Ashido added.

'So why are you guys here? Shouldn't you be helping him?'

'No way!' They both declared together.

'We're not going anywhere near that room. There are germs everywhere.'

'We wouldn't want to catch what he's got especially with Ulquiorra's birthday party.'

'Birthday?'

Rukia had been so depressed all week that she had completely forgotten Ulquiorra had even personally handed an invitation to her. It had completely escaped her mind that the first day of December was the prefect's birthday.

'If we became ill we would miss out on all the fun,' Ashido continued with their little excuses.

'But he's your friend and he's sick...' Rukia pleaded.

'Hell no!' The twins lost interest in the conversation and walked away to find some other people to annoy.

* * *

Gingerly, Rukia opened the room door after she had been toying with the idea for many minutes. Behind the door she could clearly hear Byakuya having a coughing fit. It worried her but at least she knew he was still alive. Having walked in she immediately felt guilty when she saw him. He staggered over to the coffee table like he was limping from some injury. There was hardly much energy left inside him. Guilty, she felt because she was partly the cause for his cold since she brought the snow and chilly temperature with it. She also knew that he was out in such miserable weather only to find her.

Eventually, he made his painstaking way over to the table. He went to grab a glass but dropped in onto the floor when he started another coughing fit. It smashed onto the wooden floor. Byakuya frowned, frustrated at how he couldn't achieve a simple task like pouring himself a drink. Her eyes stretched wide with panic as he kneeled down as if to pick up the sharp pieces.

'Cheeky-san! Don't!'

Her tiny feet rushed over towards him and she took his hands away before they were cut. Now, she could clearly see how ill he was. His eyes were heavy and puffy, his nose inflamed and his lips painfully dry. More guilt mounted on top of her.

Byakuya mumbled something but must have whispered the last of his energy when he lost the strength to stand and drifted forwards and fell into Rukia. His head found its way to the crook of her neck while the rest of his body leaned into hers. Surprisingly, she was quite strong enough to hold most of his weight. Thankfully, he had not completely collapsed or else she might not have managed to carry him deadweight. Again, he mumbled something but still she couldn't comprehend.

'Huh?' He leaned closer and his hot breath tingled along her neck. A cold shiver coursed through her body.

'Wa...ter...'

Her face turned red now that she had realised how intimate they had become. Strange it was that Byakuya was in _her_ arms. She blushed more when she wondered how it would feel to be in _his_ arms. To see Byakuya in such a fragile and vulnerable was actually adorably cute.

_Cute...! Cheeky-san-cute!_

_Oh! How Cheeky-san would mock me if he knew!_

'Ru...kia... have you... been avoiding me?'

GULP!

_Don't get so close to me!_

Rukia was astonished by such an unexpected question in that she could scramble an answer, 'I...' There was a slight squeeze on one of her arms as Byakuya whispered her name in his trademark deep voice sending shivers across her spine. It sounded almost as if he was desperate for an answer.

_Whose does this rapid heartbeat belong to?_

_Is it mine?_

_Or is it...?_

* * *

As Rukia walked down the hallway making her way back from the communal kitchen to the dorm she regretted not taking a tray with her. It would have made the burning bowl of hot soup much easier to carry. The rich creamy chicken soup was slowly scolding the little fingers that cupped around the blue oriental bowl. Her feet picked up pace with the intention of reaching the dorm room before hands got cooked. Eyes were fixed onto the soup carefully not to spill any of it as she power walked. As a result she only noticed a white figure in front of her at the last possible minute. Thankfully, she managed to swerve out of the way but not without spilling a little of the food onto her fingers.

'Ow, ow, ow! Hot, hot, hot!' she yelled as she waived the injured hand in the air while the other hand took sole responsibility of the bowl.

'Oh, my dear, I am so sorry!' Ulquiorra apologised. 'Here, let me make it up to you.' Those words were never much comforting coming from him. Rukia was proved correct when the prefect to her hand and kissed her fingers.

'Prefect-san!' she gasped. Barely did she have time to react and Ulquiorra took her fingers into his mouth and sucked off the spilt soup slowly and sensually. Quickly, Rukia snatched her hand away before he could move onto the next finger.

'Please stop!'

Her voice was stern and face determined. Byakuya was very weak and practically had nothing to eat since he had no energy to cook anything for himself. The very least she could do was warm up some soup. Didn't they say that chicken soup was best to eat when you catch a cold? She told herself to return to him as soon as possible.

'Please excuse me, Prefect-san.'

Ulquiorra remained still but was actually a little intrigued by her reaction. Was she defying him? It amazed him that never had any girl defied him, rejected him before. Rukia was certainly different he acknowledged. This made him more and more interested. His emerald eyes focussed on the bowl in her hands.

'The soup...'

'Cheeky-san is ill...' Her blush reappeared rendering her too shy to continue that sentence.

'You are absent from my birthday party to take care of _him?_' Ulquiorra frowned a little, unsure what this new increasing burning feeling coursing through him like waves on a shore.

'H-Hai...' That was all she could manage before she took a bow to excuse herself before continuing her journey back to her dorm room. Something deep inside Ulquiorra was tightening. It took a lot of effort to steady the sensation.

'Careful, Ulquiorra,' Toshiro warned as he leant against the wall further behind them. 'It almost sounds like you are _jealous_.' Ulquiorra made no move but his silence was deafening.

_Could it be true?_

_Why am I not denying it...?_

* * *

'Cheeky-san, here, I brought you some soup,' she said and placed it on the study table. Byakuya was already sitting up on his bed and looking slightly dazed.

'Are you not going to serve it to me?' That arrogant high and mighty side to Bayakuya definitely did not dissipate just because he was sick.

'Huh? You're not a baby, right?' she scoffed.

'My illness has taken away much of my strength.' Silence. Rukia wasn't convinced. No one was _that _sick to not be able to eat!

'It is quite alright. I must not inconvenience you even if it meant that I shall starve myself.' Rukia huffed in frustration. Why were men so wimpy when ill? Was this the so called 'man flu' girls often moaned about?

'Fine! I'll feed you!'

Byakuya hid a little grin to himself. The guilt trip most certainly worked on Rukia. Of course he was able to eat but he couldn't resist the opportunity of getting closer to her. Any wise man would take advantage of the situation.

Rukia picked up the blue and white porcelain bowl once more. Carefully, she gathered some of the soup in the white China spoon. Delicately, she blew along the spoonful before easing it towards Byakuya's mouth. The prince leaned a little forward ready to receive it.

'Careful, it's very hot,' she warned.

Byakuya leant closer to take the mouthful and she concentrated on serving the food. Then she made the mistake of looking up because she found Byakuya's grey eyes staring at her constantly. He wouldn't look away even when she caught him at it. Her face flushed red and looked away.

_GULP!_

_Oh, God, he's looking at me! _

_He's looking right at me!_

BE-BUMP! BE-BUMP! BE-BUMP!

_The drumming of her heart was quickening. Surely it was loud enough for even Byakuya to hear!_

'Are you just going to serve me one mouthful?' Byakuya oozed with sarcasm. She blushed more.

'You'd be lucky to get any...' she muttered under her breath before reluctantly continuing with the feeding. 'How does a super being like Cheeky-san get ill anyway?' The spoon reaches his mouth but he doesn't open it to eat but to talk.

'Super being?'

'Yeah, because you don't seem to have any weaknesses like some sort of superman,' she explained.

'Well, I do have _one_ weakness...'

'Really? And what is that?'

She was eager for the answer but as Byakuya said nothing but stare at her intensely she realised he had already told her. Those grey eyes of his were boring holes into hers as if he was screaming, 'Do I really need to spell it out to you!'

BE-BUMP! BE-BUMP! BE-BUMP!

These weird palpitations were knocking violently against her rib cage. The rest of her body was shivering, sending goosebumps along her skin whilst she struggled to keep her emotions from running wild. It was like all the air was being crushed in her lungs. Their eyes still locked onto each others.

_Could he mean..._

_Me...?_

* * *

'Yeah, because you don't seem to have any weaknesses like some sort of superman.'

'Well, I do have _one_ weakness...'

'Really? And what is that?'

Byakuya wasn't really a man of words. So much communication nowadays was non verbal. Much could be interpreted through a slight touch of the hand, an awkward pull of the face or, as in this case, a long stare with much fervent. Oh, how he was admiring those beautiful violet eyes of hers. Was it possible to drown oneself in them? That how captivating she was to him.

_Do me feelings reach you?_

_And will you return them?_

_For you are my only weakness..._

_My kryptonite... _

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Rukia was woken up by some muffled noise. After rubbing her eyes she decided to turn on her bedside lamp to investigate. A quick look over to her clock told her it was still only 4.33 am! A frustrated sigh escaped her lips to reflect the untoward conditions. Gingerly, her feet followed the noise over to the other bed, still not sure whether Byakuya was asleep or not. Again, she rubbed her eyes to get a clearer picture. It looked as though Byakuya was shivering under his sheets.

'Cheeky-san? Are you alright?' she gently whispered. She flinched when her hand went to touch his shoulder. He was shaking violently like a leaf.

'C-C-Cold...' was all he managed to mutter. As if on cue, she took her own duvet covers and covered him with them.

'Is that better?'

'C-Cold...' This time she dashed off and returned to check on him after a few more minutes.

'I've turned the heating up to maximum temperature.'

'C-Cold...' he continued to say. Too bad, she was running out of options. Although there was one other thing she could try although she was rather reluctant about it...

AHCHOO!

Byakuya had sneezed before continuing to shiver through the thick layers, conveniently helping Rukia was her resolve. Rukia took a deep breath. At least the twins were still over at Ulquiorra's house party. They must have stayed the night there. Thankfully that meant no one would see her pull back the covers and creep inside with Byakuya. Her arms enveloped him and embraced him tightly so that her body heat could transfer to him. Slowly but surely his body began to stop shaking. It was a relief that the method was working but she was all the more blushing. At this intimate moment she could hear the steady beating in his chest, inhale the manly smell of Byakuya and of course she could admire his handsome facial features clearly.

_This is the first time seeing Cheeky-san's sleeping face..._

Her hand dared to reach over his face to ghostly stroke it. He looked so remarkably cute, so vulnerable in this form. Those previous words came echoing back to her.

_Well, I do have one weakness... _

Oh, how she admired how he breathed calmly once more and oblivious to the feeling stirring inside her.

_I couldn't let him know that I feel weak at the knees just by looking at him..._

_A little longer..._

_Let me stay with you like this a little longer... _

* * *

'KYAAAA!'

Rukia flinched upon hearing the loud screech. She shuffled to sit up although struggled to peel her eyes open. If her vision wasn't so blurry she could clearly see how mortified Ashido looked.

'Ashido? What are you doing?'

'What am _I_ doing! I should be asking you that! Why the Hell are you two together like that!' Ashido was fuming so much that he couldn't even physically say the words, 'Why are you to sleeping together?' Best he could manage was point an accusing finger at the image.

'I woke up early from the party especially because I was worried about you,' he paused to blush, 'but I find you like this...!' Was he experiencing a fit of jealousy?

Rukia's eyes followed the line to where he was pointing to. A sharp gasp escaped her when it dawned on her that she had forgotten to return back to her own bed, Instead, she had drifted off to sleep without realising which now resulted in the compromising position. Oh, but the most embossing moment was yet to come when Byakuya rustled the covers as he too began to wake up! She wanted to leap out of the bed but her entire body just froze up. Like an accident you could see was about to happen, everything was caught under a slow motion mode as Byakuya turned his head round, his eyes widened the moment he saw Rukia lying in his bed right... right next to him...

'Ch-Cheeky-san! Erm... It's not what it looks like...' She waved her hands up in the air to protest.

'What _does_ it look like?' Byakuya deadpanned.

'It... I...' Befuddled. She was just befuddled with embarrassment and boy was her facing heating up like a house on fire! No answer could come to her mind so she staggered out of the bed and changed the subject.

'Er... Oh, is that the time,' she pretended to look at a watch she wasn't actually wearing, 'I must get ready for school.'

'Rukia-'

'Can't stop now, class is about to start in 15 minutes!' Rukia quickly cut Byakuya off, obviously doing her best to avoid explaining the situation.

'Rukia, it is Sunday today...' Byakuya pointed out. Rukia gasped out loud. She really wasn't thining straight.

'Oh, silly me!' She tried using a nervous laugh to cover up her embarrassment. 'Well I guess I'll make breakfast since I'm already up.' Hurriedly, she turned on her heals to walk off again.

God, I feel like dying right now!

'Rukia,' Byakuya's call managed to stop her tracks once more. 'Thank you for taking care of me yesterday.'

'Eh? Oh, you're welcome,' she replied but didn't dare turn around to face him.

'Everything I said was truly sincere,' he reassured her.

_Do my feelings reach you?_

Without so much as a look at him she whispered, 'Hai...' That was then her cue to exit.

'You can't take Rukia. Do you hear me?' Ashido warnerd before he too veered down the stairs to the lower level. Byakuya managed a half smile.

_You don't get it, do you?_

_I am not trying to take Rukia._

_It is she who has stolen my heart..._

* * *

**Before you point it out, I am sorry that it is a short update. There were other things I wanted to squeeze in but it seemed to rush the chapter. Plus, I thought Byakuya's confession alone was a huge milestone. And am I the only one to think that Byakuya is kinda cute when he is ill and in vulnerable? It's like he's inviting you to take advantage of him! Lol (A nation of heart's flutter or is it just mine!)**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the update. Do let me know what you think and drop me a review. I sincerely cherish all of them! They really do bring a smile to my face when I am swallowed up in work =p They may even be able to spur me on to write faster! Love you all for waiting! Ja x**


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